Of Simple Arrangements
by Midori Aoi
Summary: The man with the strength of an entire brigade. The woman worth 100 soldiers. Humanity's Strongest couple. Obviously. (a series of one-shots and ficlets from prompts on Tumblr. I am K-Lionheart and you're about to get pampered.) (AU's galore!) (Rated T - M) (Reviews are begged for.) Levi x Mikasa
1. All Along

A/N: As promised, I am finally posting up all the Levi x Mikasa ficlets and prompt responses that I received on Tumblr. Now, I will be posting the one-shots here. Anything that has more parts and (promised) sequels will be updated on their own. Got that so far? Good. :) Let's get this show on the road!  
_sidenote: there will be some slight changes added to each one-shot - such as spelling and grammar fixes, but I may add on a paragraph or two based on how I feel about the storytelling and improvement thoughts and what-not... ANYWAY._

* * *

**All Along**  
_Summary:  
It's not that she's jealous. She just wants to focus on her training and having a bunch of girls throw themselves on Levi is just getting more and more irritating. She isn't jealous, why does everyone keep saying that?_

* * *

It was a fine morning. The skies were a deep blue, clouds scarce and fluffy white, the air was cool and clean. Commander Erwin took in a deep inhale as he gazed out the open window of his study, all that would complete this would be a fine cup of coffee. He smiled to himself before turning and grabbing his cup from his desk. He took in a deep breathe as he breathed it in - his secretary did not waste time adding a hint of sugar and goat's milk; a rare commodity. It was not often he had opportunity to enjoy a good cup of coffee and even less for a perfectly brewed one.

A knock on his door disrupted him for a moment and he took a quick glance at his steaming mug, nearly lifted to his lips. He sighed before setting the cup down.

"Come in," he said as he turned to his chair and settled himself in right as the door swung open.

"Commander Erwin," entered the soldier and Erwin's eyebrows rose as he watched Mikasa Ackerman offer him a quick but well done salute.

"Miss Ackerman," He welcomed, if a bit confused. "What can I do for you today?"

"Sir," Ackerman nodded before looking away, if somewhat sheepish. This only raised the Commander's curiosity as he waited for her to speak. "It's about Captain Levi—"

"If this is about the Captain forcing your brother to clean the horse stalls without proper equipment, that matter has been —"

"He did what?" Mikasa's head snapped up, eyes narrowing. "Eren never said anything about that."

Erwin paled slightly, "Ah…well…" he cleared his throat."Like I said that matter has been dealt with. Captain Levi was ensuring Eren Jaeger's safety, the troops had been rather on edge since your brother transformed into a Titan -"

"What?" Mikasa gasped, her face draining of blood. Erwin lifted his hands, reassuringly.

"From the report given by Major Hanji Zoe, it only appeared he was reaching to grab a spoon from the ground and having previously attempted to trigger his titan form for record keeping, it seemed that it all fell upon him. Since then the team had expressed to me serious desires to remove Eren or even have him taken to Military Police. The Captain did well in giving the boy more to do, it put his fellow men more at ease."

"Oh…" Mikasa replied, breathing a short sigh of relief.

"But that is not why you are here, I take it?" Erwin asked, chuckling sheepishly.

"No… but I appreciate you informing me, sir. Eren is very dear to me." Mikasa sighed, her gaze fell and a myriad of emotions mixed and churned behind those dark eyes.

"I am aware of that." Erwin said, gently urging her on as she remained silent for a moment too long. Mikasa, as if realizing her true reason for appearing at his office, looked into his eyes if a bit uncertain. Before the Commander could deduct her hesitance, she squared her shoulders and met his gaze with newfound determination.

"Actually, sir, I have a small request."

"What would that be?" he asked, taking a moment to lift his cup to his lips to enjoy a small sip of his perfectly brewed coffee.

"I have noticed the Captain has some popularity with the soldiers," Mikasa began, trailing off and giving in to an uncomfortably fidget. The Commander paused from lifting the cup to his mouth, nodding as he mulled her words over. She wasn't exactly wrong…

"That doesn't surprise me," the blond man relented, "the Captain is one of our most powerful soldiers."

"Right… particularly more with the…female soldiers, sir." She added, lifting a hand to her scarf and tugged at it uncertainly.

"I'm not sure where you are going with this, Miss Ackerman," he said, shaking his head curiously before finally lifting his cup to his lips and taking a slow sip.

"…Would it be too strange to request we have the Captain announce he's gay, sir?"

In a fit of shock, Erwin reeled forward and spat his drink over his desk. The delicious coffee spewed through the air as he fixed wide eyes at the raven haired girl, eyebrows disappearing to his hairline. Gawking, the Commander had only a moment to wipe his coffee dripping mouth with his sleeve before attempting to speak, "…Excuse me, Miss Ackerman, but wha—"

"It doesn't have to be serious, sir," Mikasa replied, tone perfectly serious. "It's just until I finally get my training hours completed."

"Just until you…_What?_"

* * *

Mikasa sighed, kicking at a lone rock as she walked to the horse stalls, the reigns of her assigned horse was gripped in her hands as the animal next to her walked along. She wasn't sure why the commander ordered her to leave so suddenly, he didn't even give her chance to explain in full. It's not like she needed Corporal Levi to kiss Jean or anything, just so those irritating, _stuck up_ _bitc—_

"Hey, Mikasa," Armin's voice greeted cheerfully as the boy jogged to her, sweaty and beaming. "How'd it go with Commander Erwin?" Mikasa frowned before shrugging, face darkening with disappointment.

Armin's smile fell as he walked alongside her, "So he didn't help?"

Grunting with frustration Mikasa kicked the same lone rock with more force. The pebble flew for a few yards before bouncing away, Armin winced. "At this rate I'm going to be forced to train under Keiji or something..."

"But he's an excellent soldier," the blond boy said, trying to cheer her up and completely oblivious to the futility of his efforts. "I'm sure you'll learn great under him."

"You don't understand, Armin." Mikasa sighed, rolling her eyes. The boy may be a genius but he had no ability at detecting sarcasm. Shaking her head, Mikasa walked faster, her horse yanked against her hold before clopping next to her, none too happy about the abrupt change of pace. Armin quickly jogged ahead to open the stall while she lead her horse inside. "In order for me to be truly strong and protect Eren I need to learn from the very best. Captain Levi is just that, but those damn _fangirls,_" Mikasa spat the word out with extreme distaste, "Of his won't leave him well enough alone to give me some time with him."

"Sounds to me like you're jealous," Armin teased, only to wither under Mikasa's deadly deadpanned glare. "I-I mean, yeah. He's the best."

"If he was just a regular soldier I wouldn't pay him any mind, especially after what he's done to Eren," her face darkened, making Armin flinch under her vicious stare before she sighed once more and lead her horse to its stall. With a series of low grumblings, Mikasa began removing her saddle from the beast's back. "I need real training." She ground out as she tugged the saddle off.

Her horse flicked its tail, unsettled—no doubt sensing his rider's displeasure. Aptly observant, Armin began to prepare a bag of oats for the large animal, not wanting to leave the frustrated girl in the stalls for much longer, "…And the Commander didn't help set up your training with the Corporal?"

"He didn't listen to me passed my first request," Mikasa scoffed, throwing the saddle over the wood of the stall before grabbing a brush and began the usual rub down over her horse's hide. The animal turned its head and gave her a grateful nibble on her pants. She smiled at it for a moment and proceeded her duties after giving the horse a warm scratch behind its ear. Armin breathed a little easier as the horse's flicking tail finally eased. Setting the bag of oats near Mikasa, the blond took a step back, watching as she stepped around the large animal.

"What did you request?" Armin asked, leaning against the stall and swatted a horsefly.

"It's nothing just—"

"Oh, Captain Levi!" the delighted cry of one of the female soldiers tore through their conversation and Mikasa's head shot up - something Armin did not fail to notice. As expected, said officer was bringing in his horse to be quickly surrounded by a group of girls. Throwing an uneasy glance, Armin gulped when he saw how Mikasa's hand clenched around the wooden brush.

"Sir, I can do that for you!" One of them exclaimed.

"Does your horse need a rub down?"

"I can remove the saddle for you!" another swooned.

"Do you need me to grab some oats and water for your horse?" the first one continued. Among the squeals and sighs of the women around him, Levi glanced up and met Mikasa's gaze. The girl scowled before tearing her eyes away and finishing in brushing her horse's mane quickly before tossing the (practically splintered) brush in its bucket.

"Come on, Armin, let's go." She barked, before storming off. The young man yelped as the horse nearly bit at his rump through his trousers before giving chase, both unable to see how Levi had lifted a hand to reach for Mikasa and then sighing as he handed the reigns to the nearest giggling girl.

* * *

"I still don't see why you don't just go up to him and ask him to train you directly," Eren was saying later that evening as they were getting their food and heading to the mess hall. The walk to their table was uninterrupted as the trio walked passed other hungry soldiers.

"And risk being mauled by his fangirls?" Armin said for her, eyes wide and shuddering. "They would _destroy _her."

Mikasa threw Armin an irritated glare before the boy quickly amended his words, "I mean, Mikasa could totally take them on no problem, it's just you know… _cooties._"

"Oh for god's sake," Eren rolled his eyes. "Mikasa, if you want I can speak to Levi."

"Since when are you two on a first name basis?" Armin asked as they sat down. Eren gave the blond a flat stare before looking back at his adoptive sister.

"Really though, it won't be that hard."

Mikasa shook her head, "No thanks, I have to do it personally. Get him to sign my request form and everything…"

"Good luck with that," Connie piped in, appearing seemingly out of nowhere before sitting on the other side of the table, throwing his entire slice of bread in his soup before mashing it in with his spoon. Mikasa's nose wrinkled at the mess he was making before taking a sip of her own meal. "That guy has a barricade of women so powerful, who needs the maneuver gear when you can just toss a bunch of those rabid woman at a titan?" He continued.

"That's what this world needs," Jean added, sitting down next to Connie. "Less Titans, more fangirls."

"Of course you'd say that, Jean," Eren said wryly. Jean shot him a glare before taking a chomp of his own slice of bread.

"Forget that," Sasha slid in next to Jean, grinning as she pointed a spoon at the other side of the hall, "Why don't you just go ask him while they aren't here yet? He's right over there talking to Major Hanji."

Mikasa turned her head and sure enough the two were walking in, Hanji was animatedly waving her arms about, clearly ecstatic about something while Levi just tried his usual best to ignore her.

"Quick, get to him before the fangirls do!" Connie urged, and Mikasa had no choice but to stand up and walk over there. As she crossed the room, it came with reluctant realization when she noticed how her heart was pounding in her chest, making her cheeks flush. The sensation was enough to make her stomach dip uncomfortably the closer she got. Finally when she was within distance, she cleared her throat and raised a hand to tap the shorter man on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, Captain—" she began when another curvier figure pushed passed her and straight between the two of them.

"Ah! Captain Levi, I have some questions for you!"

"Captain, I need help learning this skill," another one appeared, pushing past Mikasa, bumping her out of the way.

"Captain Levi, could you please direct me to—" yet another popped in. Mikasa's eyes narrowing in annoyance.

"Ah, Captain, what's the best detergent to use for my cloak?" another one piped in, completely surrounding the man.

"I'm going to eat now, so go away, brats." Levi ordered, only to have the girls giggle to themselves. Trying to look through, Mikasa was able to catch the Captain's indifferent expression for a moment before growling under her breath, disgusted with the women around her.

"Excuse me, I need to speak to the Captain." Mikasa finally spoke to the nearest woman. She turned a critical look over Mikasa, giving her a quick once over before letting out a belligerent snort. Somewhere a tick was beginning to grow within the Oriental's patience, beating and matching the pace of her pulse.

"Get in line, sweetheart, we all have questions for him." She shrugged, giving Mikasa a hard stare.

"Yes, but—"

"Levi, let's go get our food, I hear they managed to kill a whole cow for the beef in today's soup!" Hanji exclaimed before dragging him away, the girls in tow. Mikasa watched as the Captain was dragged off before feeling a rage bubble in her chest.

"That is _it_," She ground out. Turning on her heel and marching right out of the mess hall, Mikasa's destination became so clear in her mind she might as well have been there yesterday.

"Eh? Mikasa?" Someone exclaimed but Mikasa gave no heed as she continued on her way, running up stairs and making swift turns before finally arriving to her target. The door in front of her had been locked but this wasn't the first time she's played in this playground.

Fishing in her pockets for one of Sasha's hairpins - honestly the girl has no sense of order - she immediately began to pick at the lock, glancing both ways before nodding to herself when she found she was alone.

A soft click told her the door was unlocked and Mikasa pushed through the door of the dark room.

"Oh, Captain," Someone inside hummed seductively before Mikasa switched on the lamp to reveal a half naked woman on the bed. She sat up, blinking with confusion. Mikasa nearly felt something inside her snap.

"What the—?" the woman exclaimed, rising to sit on the bed and unperturbed by the fact that her breasts were out in the open and plain to see. Mikasa had just about enough.

"Get out." She growled, not holding back from letting the shadow of thinly veiled rage burn through over her face.

"Wait, who are you, you're not the Captain—"

"I said get _the fuck_ **out** before I rip your _fucking neck open_." Rarely did the young woman ever spit such heated profanity. As if picking up on the rare happenstance, the woman quickly stood up, grabbed the rest of her clothes and ran out, shutting the door behind her.

Mikasa inhaled and exhaled deeply before counting down from twenty. After allowing herself some to calm down, she made her way to the bed, sat down (but quickly straightening and whipping the sheets against the post to remove the scent of that little issue) and waited.

As the minutes passed, Mikasa slowly began to feel her original anger and fury disappear to make way for nervousness and worry. What if when he came in he told her to leave? What if he thought she was another fangirl? God forbid.

Mikasa sighed and placed her head in her hands, feeling suddenly exhausted. What was she doing here? She's only going to get herself humiliated and worse, Levi may decide he doesn't want to work with her at all.

_I should leave. _Mikasa thought, sighing inwardly. Yet she didn't move, and while she found millions of reasons to leave, Mikasa did not move an inch. That is, when forty minutes later she heard a rustling outside the door. Instantly, she began to internally panic and stood up, trying to find another door, a window, _anything _to escape from when she heard very distinctly, "Captain, word around the grapevine is that you're looking for a partner. Is this true?"

"I have no idea what shit you're hearing, but I work alone." She heard him reply, his voice on edge.

"Well if you ever reconsider, I have some references you can look to. I've excelled in—"

"Fascinating," He drawled, "Not interested. Go away."

"Let me know if you change your mind!" the woman replied coquettishly before her footsteps _click-clack'_ed away. Mikasa heard him sigh and start opening the door and she froze, but not before feeling the earlier rage return with a bloody vengeance.

When the door opened she inhaled and waited as his eyes saw her through the dimly lit room, his lips parting in surprise.

"Ackerman, wha—"

"No, shut up." She snapped, his eyebrows rose high to hide behind his bangs as he shut the door behind him. Miraculously, he remained silent and no doubt dumbfounded by her vicious tone. "I'm going to say what's on my mind before leaving, and in that time you're going to say absolutely nothing."

"Ackerman, are you out of your goddamn—"

"_Absolutely nothing,_ Captain." Mikasa ground out, glaring fiercely into his eyes. His mouth snapped close in sudden shock, staring at her with something akin to surprise and awe.

"Now, I have a request form I would like you to fill out. It's for personal training hours and as every cadet must complete at least 500 hours of it before moving up rank, I have decided to choose you to train with as you are the very best. After we fought the Female Titan, I found I am severely lacking in skill and you are the only one suited to push me passed my limits to fight in this war." She paused for a short moment before taking in a quick breathe, feeling her heart rate get a bit higher under his intense stare.

Fighting down a blush she continued, "On that request I would also like exclusive rights to your time. That means no more air-headed female soldiers begging for every ounce of your attention, because I _swear_ to the Almighty God if I have to hear another one of them squeal your name I will go on a rampage that will rid the world of not just titans, and don't think I won't, Captain."

She finished before letting out a sudden burst of air, her cheeks finally burning after the torrent of words ended. Levi stood before her, dumbstruck.

"Plus," Mikasa added, unable she could stop herself, "I did speak to Commander Erwin a while ago and he did mention you and I are best suited as a team together…so I'm just leaving that in there."

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence before Levi began opening his mouth before closing it.

"…So you sneak into my room?" Levi asked slowly.

"It was the only way, I've attempted to approach you several times but I was…_rudely _interrupted." She coughed, suddenly unable to stop the blush in her cheeks from burning brighter. "For the record, you really need to think about changing your lock. Or your room... unless you prefer walking in to half-naked women lounging on your bed."

"Half-naked...?"

"Shirt off, nothing under. Yeah."

Levi let out a breath that sounded like a groan of irritation, grumbling to himself about 'irritating women' and 'not again' and so on under his breath. Mikasa took that as a sign that this had not been the first time.

"I… will think about it." Levi replied, before walking to his desk and grabbing a piece of paper and scribbling something on it.

"Good," Mikasa said finally before nodding and beginning to walk toward the door.

"Hold on, Ackerman." He called out and she stopped before turning to face him. He was quite abruptly standing in front of her when he grabbed her hand. Mikasa's skin flushed a deep scarlet as he did so. Placing the piece of paper in her palm, he closed her fingers around it, staring intently into her eyes while his fingers curled around hers. His touch was cool and surprisingly smooth.

Before Mikasa could remember to breathe, he had lifted another hand and very gently wiped the corner of her lip with a napkin. "You had some dried soup on your lip," He muttered. Mikasa's mind went blank as he eyed her mouth for a moment before letting go.

"Come by tomorrow at dawn, we'll discuss your… request over breakfast." He announced as he turned back to his desk and sat down. Mikasa stared it him for a while before he turned and blinked a flat stare at her.

"Good night, Ackerman."

Mikasa nearly jumped before nodding, giving him a quick salute - the paper crinkling in the hand she pressed on her chest - before stumbling out.

When she made it back to her room she smiled when she realized her friends had brought up her meal, Mikasa's stomach growled at the sight and she remembered not finishing her meal.

Looking at the paper in her hand she finally opened it and read over the contents a deep scowl pushed through her face while her cheeks burned bright. She crumbled the paper viciously before tossing it in her trash bin. Everything made perfect sense now.

_Jealousy suits you, Mikasa.  
I look forward to our training.  
Wednesday morning 0800 hours. Don't be late.  
See you at breakfast._

"…That arrogant bastard planned all of this."

* * *

_Fin_


	2. Bedside Dilemma

Whew. Naughty one this one. This one is RATED M for nsfw soft smut.

Disclaimer: I don't know the characters of Attack on Titan... yadda yadda yadda

* * *

**Bedside Dilemma  
**_Summary:  
When it came to personal boundaries, there were very strict rules on one very shaky condition.  
"My bed," Levi growled huskily, "My rules."  
__  
_**_Rated M  
_**

* * *

Sleeping is nothing more than a recharge. A way for the body to recollect energy and help muscles gain strength and vigor after hours of titan slaughter. While the body rests, the mind is not just given the ability but unknowing permission to play out results of emotions, memories and even desires. That much, Levi Rivaille - Lance Corporal of the Survey Corp - wished was more an option than a happenstance.

Not for the last time did he wish he could control his dreams, the way his mind played and handled stress after a day of blood and sorrow. This wish was suddenly grasped onto with such ferocity when Levi first laid eyes on Mikasa Ackerman and suddenly his dreams were no longer about slaying Humanity's predators and dark memories but about her dark, narrow eyes. And when they had returned from saving Eren, the dreams took a violent turn to the lustful.

How many times Levi woke to a mess on his bed and a very tight feeling in his nethers he had lost count. It was distracting, even more so when he would see her in the mess hall during breakfast - or worse, during training and she was wearing only a simple chest covering to sweat into.

In short, Levi was slowly becoming more and more infinitely frustrated every time he woke in the mornings and sleep was becoming more of a bane than a boon in his life.

Weeks passed and Levi contented himself with silence, coldly ignoring Mikasa Ackerman in order to cope with his night time dilemma - much to her irritation and confusion. When he did speak with her, he tried his best to keep disinterested, aloof. But his damn attention on her was slowly making his cold walls melt away and several times Hanji caught him staring at the black haired woman with a flushed gaze.

He had hoped that this whole thing would fade, pass with the time. But no. No. It didn't.

In fact. It got worse.

_Much worse._

It was Commander Erwin's birthday and the entire corp had set up a nice party for their leader, decked out with food and drink it was a nice event and helped the soldiers relax after so many days of pain and fear. Even Levi, normally opposed to such events since they caused him much irritation, took part in drinking. Moron.

He had gotten overconfident. It had been a week since his last "dream" of Mikasa Ackerman and he had thought it had been long enough to prove that his..._infatuation_... had faded away. He didn't realize that that was definitely not the case when he had tossed back his fifth shot and his eyes landed on the slender form of said woman.

Stupid drinking. Stupid dancing... stupid. stupid. STUPID.

One moment he was staring at her as she swayed to the music the band was playing and the next he was throwing her against his door, lips crashing violent and sloppy against her mouth and neck. But the way his mind was working, Levi assumed it was all a dream.

That was... until he woke that next morning.

His head was pounding and his body was aching but Levi was sober - so sober that he had frozen stiff when he realized Mikasa was laying on top of him, knocked out yet fully clothed.

_How the hell did we manage_ that?

Nevertheless, he felt relieved (and just a bit disappointed) when he realized that - no that was not a dream, and - yes. They definitely fell asleep on his bed.

Now... trying to get her off however...

"Mmm..." She sighed, snuggling her nose deep into the crook of his neck and Levi shivered tightly, feeling his cheeks burn hot when she inhaled his scent and let out another little moan.

Instantly, his body was reacting and Levi was finding it unbelievably difficult to breathe. That must've been sensed by the sleeping Asian above him because her eyelashes were fluttering against the back of his ear and Levi felt his breath hitch in his throat.

She froze suddenly, her arm wrapped around his chest and shoulder while the rest of her body had once squeezed against his side, legs tangled in the sheets.

Levi held his breath and she slowly sat up, her eyes wide and cheeks flaming hot.

"...C-corporal?" Mikasa whispered, jaw agape with horror.

"Morning." Levi sighed, unable to stop himself from dreading the worst. Was she going to scream? God he hoped not. Instead she moaned, mortified before she clenched her own head. The sound was definitely not helping his lower half.

"What... happened?" She asked, looking around before turning a pale expression at him. "Did...we?"

"No." Levi denied, desperately hoping she did not notice how the covers around them did not expose the very rigid tent around his pelvis. She let out a shaky sigh.

"We did, in fact, make out rather intensely." Levi stated and Mikasa's face burned scarlet.

"We did, didn't we?" She muttered before a moment of silence past and the two didn't move - obviously unsure on what to do next.

"So..." Levi sighed. She turned her gaze on him and he was starting to feel warm. "What now?"

"I think we...just... pretend this didn't happen." Mikasa offered. Any other day, Levi would've agreed and kicked her out of his bed to give himself some time alone to take care of... business. He almost did just that, except there had been just a hint of hesitance in the way she said that, as if she were trying to not just convince him but herself that that was the best option. It was teeny, almost completely invisible, but Levi had been paying sharp attention. Razor sharp. Levi knew in a second she did not mean it. She did not want to forget... and what's more... she did not want to leave. He could tell that much without even trying, she was still sitting on his bad, after all.

Nevertheless...despite how much he suddenly found himself unwilling to allow her to leave, Mikasa had to go. Unfortunately(or fortunately?), his body had other ideas.

"And if I don't like that option?" Levi inquired, letting his gaze pierce through her. _What the hell? Why was he asking that? Idiot, you're supposed to convince her to leave._

Mikasa stared at him shocked, face burning a bit brighter (if possible) at his question. She looked away, breathing raggedly. Something took hold of Levi in that moment, a sudden fierce desire to make her rightfully his. Whatever reason and logic that had struggled to fight in his mind slowly died. Thousands of scenarios that had passed through his mind during his rough nights of sleep flashed through him and he could feel a twitch. _This is not a phase_. Levi realized as he stared at her scorching cheeks and bruised lips. Tongue running over his own Levi slowly rose up, body close to hers now. _This is... out of control_. He didn't know if he was still drunk from the alcohol or drunk with desire but at this very moment, he knew exactly what he wanted. And he would be damned if he didn't get it.

"I...I uh..." Mikasa stammered before looking in his eyes, gasping.

"I am a man of rules, Mikasa," He whispered, his voice low as his eyes stared deep into hers. Her breath quickened but she did not lean away, Levi pushed forward when she did not run. "I follow boundaries and make sure to keep them clean and clear. However," He snaked a hand around her waist and abruptly threw her back down on the bed, she let out a little squeak of surprise. Yet, his eyes remained level on hers.

"You are in my room," He said, hovering over her and she gulped when he pressed his hips against her leg.

"I...am." She agreed, and he could see it there. The thrill, the excitement, the uncertainty but the desire making the dark pupil in her eyes expand hungrily. Levi pressed on, but prepared to let her go the moment she even tried to resist him. She didn't.

"And in my room, I have rules." He lifted a hand and let his thumb caress her lower lip - still red and plump from the bruising, drunken kisses he had rammed on her the night before. Levi was thankful the curtains of his room were so thick, shading the strong sunlight enough to make it easy to feel her instead of how his heart and head were pounding.

"...And they are...?" She murmured, and he trailed his hand down her lips, brushing down her throat and landing on where her pulse was throbbing rapidly.

"My bed," Levi replied huskily, "My rules."

Mikasa swallowed again and Levi leaned down and pressed his nose against her throat, inhaling deeply. She shivered, arching her back and pressing her clothed chest against his.

"Rule number one," He whispered, letting his tongue flick over her exposed pulse and her breath caught again in her throat. "No clothes when in my company."

His hand began working the buttons of her shirt and he could feel her hands flutter over his triceps, like excited butterflies.

"Rule number two?" Her breaths came out in short gasps now. Her body was beginning to squirm, impatient and excited and _wanting_.

"No talking." Levi hissed, already frustrated enough and ripped the shirt open, she let out a cry of surprise. He silenced her by pressing his mouth against hers and Mikasa gasped again, a little moan of pleasure bursting the moment he ran his tongue over her lower lip. Her hands were clenching around his head and gripping his hair, pulling him down toward her. Soon, the heat between them got frantic, desperate, and he was pulling her up. Mikasa yanked her arms out her shirt, lips still glued to his when she started tugging at his. They broke apart for a moment so he could throw off his shirt and undershirt and she flipped them over.

Things were clearer now, not governed by twisting senses inhibited by alcohol. He could smell her sweat, really taste the desire in her skin, hear the way her breaths came out short when his hands ran down her ribs to grip tightly on the swell of her delicious hips.

In no time at all, belts and pants where thrown aggressively off the side of the bed and Mikasa let out a wild growling moan when Levi bucked his hips against her. He knew then, she had been waiting for this, _needing this, _just as much as he had.

Her nails raked down his skin, red welts bloomed like roses down his arms and back. The sensation nearly drove him rabid. Levi flipped her again on her back and yanked what last remaining clothing stood in his way.

He was kissing her again, feeling around and within her and Mikasa let out little mewls and throaty groans of pleasure. Levi had never felt more empowered in his life, hovering above this woman fed him more excitement than slicing into the neck of a Titan ever did. Mikasa let out another moan, just on the crook of his neck and he felt his hips buck. They paused for a moment, heaving in breaths as their eyes met. He was above her, more than ready, just _aching_ to feel her. Mikasa nodded once and he wasted no more time before pushing his hips deep against her, burying himself tight within her and she let out a gorgeous cry.

"_OH. Levi, yes! _It's about..._Oh,_ damn-_mmm-_time!" She exhaled when he pulled away, slick and hot, before slamming himself between her legs again.

"Rule number two," Levi grunted and Mikasa grinned against his shoulder before biting his neck and Levi nearly became undone then.

Their rhythm began to escalate, burning and rising and making them see stars and feel their muscles twitching and going numb with fire.

"L-Levi-i..._Ohh...mmm,_" She was pleading, her fingers gripping, sliding, caressing.

"Mi...kasa...Ah..." He moaned in her ear, gripping on the sheets of his bed so tight he swore he heard a rip.

And like two atoms colliding together, the explosion of relief and pleasure blossomed between them, rushing through them at a force neither had expected.

Levi let his lips press against hers, sloppy before rocking his hips against hers one more time, and collapsing completely on top of her. Levi felt sweat drip down his forehead, sticking his hair against his face and sliding over her neck. Her hands were still fluttering on his back, a stark change from the claws that had gripped into his skin superbly.

"W...what's... rule number three?" Mikasa asked, eyes fluttering lazily as her body let out another pleasurable spasm, chest rising and falling in the shade of his room.

"We bathe..." He replied, before looking into her half-lidded eyes with a smirk.

"Can't we just..." She stopped, moaning when he pulled out of her and collapsed at her side. "Lay for a while?"

Levi chuckled, feeling the effects of their latest exercise cast sleepy cobwebs over his eyes. "I guess," He breathed, grinning like an idiot when she wiggled to curl next to him. He let his lips press against her sweat soaked temple - enjoying the smell of her. "I can make an exception."

"Good," Mikasa sighed, dreamily.

"But we're still taking a bath, Ackerman. You reek."

"You don't exactly smell like roses, either, Corporal."

And the sleep that followed was the deepest, most content relaxed sleep Levi had ever had in his life.

* * *

_Fin_


	3. Hindsight

_This one is a fun one. :P_

* * *

**Hindsight**  
_Summary:  
There's a lot to be said for persistence… but Hanji, Sasha and Crista learn that maybe it's best to just leave well enough alone. But you know what they say, hindsight is 20/20.  
Rated: T (16+) for crude language and suggestive themes and very light citrus.  
_

* * *

"How's it going with you two anyway?"

"Fine."

"Just…fine?"

"Yeah. Fine."

"…You realize 'fine' is just code for you not getting any, right?"

"Sasha!"

"Oh, calm down Christa. I'm just joking… but you are getting some, right?"

"For crying out loud…"

Mikasa took a sip of her tea calmly, pointedly keeping her face in its usual flat stare and disinterested gleam. Both Sasha and Christa were looking at her from across the table, expectant and even wide eyed. News of the Lance Corporal proposing to Mikasa Ackerman had spread at a speed only light could rival. You think I'm joking, but the moment Levi had gotten down on one knee and placed a firm hand to his chest as he had gazed into her eyes and asked her the question - people were already speculating on the date of the marriage.

And it was all thanks to three very nosy women.

The moment had been a very private affair, Mikasa had believed. It wasn't until she realized they were being eavesdropped by not just Sasha, but Armin, Jean, Hanji, Christa and Eren it was already too late to control the brush fire. No one was faster at spreading news quite like Sasha and Hanji together. Even so… it wasn't like anyone gave chase or anything. Mikasa had been too overwhelmed with happiness that she had been busy sealing her response quite firmly on Levi's mouth.

Sure enough, their relationship had gone from socially non-existent to the very topic of everyone's conversations. Thank god for reputations at least, Mikasa didn't think she would survive having to deal with the gossip directly. The urge to murder people would've caused another problem to the Survey Corp all together.

By the time Humanity's strongest and most definitely affianced couple had arrived back to the legion's castle, Erwin was there alone with several other groups of officers ready with wine and alcohol and food in celebration - much to Levi's chagrin and Mikasa's embarrassment.

Thankfully the news had died down as the weeks crawled by, and all manner of topics and conversation drifted from how Mikasa fell in love with the Corporal to how they managed to date secretly… and shortly to their bedside manners. That much Mikasa had hoped wouldn't be quite so invasive as other questions had been… of course she had hoped in vain. Damn Sasha.

"We're fine." Mikasa repeated, ignoring Sasha's roll of the eyes and Christa's weak smile.

"Come on," Sasha insisted, her cheeks reddening as her gaze slid into a pervy leer. "Does he like taking you from behind, or does he prefer you on top?"

"S-Sasha!" Christa exclaimed, her face turning an endearing shade of pink. Mikasa inwardly groaned, unable to hold down the blush on her own cheeks.

"That would be so funny!" Sasha giggled to herself, taking a long swig of what she claimed was water, but Mikasa was very quickly beginning to doubt that. "He's so demanding and fierce, but ends up wanting to be dominated! Ooh, Mikasa, say, does he like you on top or bottom? Does he bite?"

"What is w-wrong with you?!" Christa trilled, looking around frantically in hopes no one was listening. The mess hall was rather full that evening and talk was loud, but still. It wasn't as if Sasha was making a point in staying quiet.

"What about Connie, Sasha?" Mikasa quickly returned. "Does he like taking you from on top?"

Sasha's face turned scarlet, "N-no…"

"That's because she's not with Connie anymore, Mikasa." Christa piped in, eyebrows curled in slight confusion at Mikasa's quip. "You're with Jean now, right Sa—"

"S-shut up!" Sasha exclaimed, slamming her mug down, looking away. Mikasa's eyebrows shot up.

"Really? You and Jean?" Mikasa asked, a stream of relief surrounded her stomach as she leaned forward. It had been difficult dealing with Jean after Mikasa had rejected his feelings. Even more so when it was discovered that not only she had been with Levi but were already getting together to wed.

Mikasa had honestly expected to see the sulking man brooding in corners but he had been surprisingly cool about the whole thing. Maybe Sasha was the reason…

"Christa!" Sasha whined, nudging the short blonde with a hard elbow. The girl let out a squeak of indignation but nodded eagerly anyway.

"But really though," Sasha began yet again before Mikasa could open her mouth to turn it completely around. "You haven't said a thing about the two of you, Mikasa."

"There's nothing to say," Mikasa sighed.

"Wait!" Sasha exclaimed, throwing herself nearly completely over the table as she leaned forward. Mikasa had quickly been able to move her teacup before the red-head knocked it over. "Does that mean… you guys haven't done it yet?!" She ended in a shrill whisper.

Mikasa's stomach dropped, her face burning bright red at this new accusation but could not bring the words out to deny it. Christa's own eyes turned to the size of saucers as she leaned forwards as well.

"Well, have you?" A new voice chimed in, and Mikasa felt her entire body burn at the piercing stare of Hanji Zoe. She slid in right next to Sasha and not for the first time did Mikasa wonder if the two were long lost siblings with how they carried on like that.

"I… uh…" Mikasa stammered, looking down and firmly into her cup. The three women let out cries of shock, Mikasa wincing as they silenced themselves when some people turned their attention on them.

"Oh my _gods,_" Sasha wheezed, while Christa covered her face, Hanji gave a bark of laughter.

"Unbelievable!" the Major exclaimed, "All this time I thought Levi did the nasty with you but hasn't. Oh my god."

"It's not a big deal!" Mikasa hissed, downing the remaining tea from her cup. "So we don't have sex, who cares? Lots of couples don't have sex!"

"Mikasa," Sasha spoke slowly, her tone really grating on Mikasa's nerves. "Are you a virgin?"

The only warning that came was the growl that escaped Mikasa's mouth as she grabbed what remained of Sasha's bread and shoved it rather viciously down the girl's mouth.

* * *

_In all honesty… don't you guys want to do it?_

_Why should that matter?_

_Mikasa, you are a couple now. You are getting married. You might as well do it. _

_We'll do it when we do it, why is this such a big deal?_

_Don't worry, Mikasa!_

_Hanji, plea—_

_I WILL HELP YOU. _

_Wha—?_

_OPERATION: SEDUCE LANCE CORPORAL LEVI is underway!_

* * *

It wasn't that they convinced her or anything… Mikasa thought to herself as she kicked the punching bag the next day. She was just… curious.

And it wasn't as if she hadn't tried and she most certainly knew Levi was not impotent or anything like that. There were nights where they had been in each other's presence and it was nearly overwhelming - the urge to strip and feel each other's skin. But more often than not, they would be interrupted, or Levi would press a chaste kiss to her wrist and walk out the door before she could do anything.

In a way, it was sweet of him. He never pushed her to do anything she wasn't ready for, and while he may had years of experience - neither could deny Mikasa was still very, _very_ new to the whole relationship thing.

It was honestly nerve wracking.

"Hyuh." Mikasa exhaled as she kicked the bag one more time, a sudden surge of anger boosting her kick into ripping a large wound on the target. Sand began to pour out of the bag and Mikasa sighed, watching the falling grains as they spread into a pile on the floor.

This was nerve wracking? She is Mikasa Ackerman for Sina's sake! The woman worth one hundred soldiers and slaughterer of Titans! She's faced off against 17-meter class titans with less nervousness than this!

How laughable. Mikasa Ackerman more nervous about engaging in intimacy with her fiance than in placing her life in danger in extinguishing a Titan.

_Killing Titans is less complicated,_ Mikasa thought grimly. But the fact remained.

Eyebrows furrowing, Mikasa glanced out the window of the small indoor training area. _I'm doing this._ No more frightened rabbit, Mikasa Ackerman was facing this. And Levi is going to enjoy it, whether he liked it or not. And so…

"Hanji!"

"Ah, Mikasa! Great, can you help me with this? I need to move this—"

"I'm doing it."

"Wha-? Oh, thanks! Just move this—"

"No, Hanji. I'm doing it and I need your help."

"…Right, what are you—?"

"Levi. I'm going to seduce him."

"You're going to—?"

"And you're going to help me."

"I… I'm doing what now?"

* * *

_I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this._

"Mikasa!"

The girl nearly jumped thirty feet in the air if it wasn't for the table in front of her. "Don't worry!"

Mikasa's face burned as she scowled. "How in the hell does this help, Hanji?" She muttered under her breath, glaring at the open window in the study. Hanji's wide grin met her from outside the window and toward the bottom.

"Just be cool!" Hanji grinned wider (if even possible) and she made an a-okay sign with her hand. "I'll be right out here if you get stuck!"

"But… Hanji!" Mikasa protested, already regretting this decision. But the woman had already ducked under the window sill just as the door slid open.

"Oh?" Mikasa heard and nearly felt her heart burst out her mouth. Mikasa quickly composed herself - well… attempted to anyway. - as she met the surprised gaze of her fiance. Levi stood at the door, looking at her with a raised brow as he held a stack of papers in his hands.

"H-hi." Mikasa greeted, lamely. Levi closed the door behind them.

"Hey," Levi greeted in return, walking toward her before placing the papers on his desk. "I didn't expect you here."

"I…I uhm…" Mikasa began, inwardly kicking herself before clearing her throat. "I was just wondering… if you needed help."

_Good. Step one: offer him a way to calm down. relax. _

"With?" Levi asked as he began to straighten the things on his desk, out of habit more than necessity. Mikasa watched as he moved, his hands deftly arranging the things on the desk with fascinated eyes.

"Oh…" Mikasa opened her mouth, and feeling it go dry as he turned his gaze on her. What's the matter with her? Since when did his eyes and stare make her feel so incredibly hot all of a sudden?

"Hm?" Levi encouraged, patient. Face burning, Mikasa tried to remember the tips Hanji had given her beforehand. But each one seemed to be no more than a distant memory in a sea of bumbling thoughts.

"Uh…paperwork?" Mikasa offered and a sudden bang outside the window jolted the two to look outside.

"What the hell?" Levi muttered and began to step toward the window. Mikasa nearly panicked then.

"Uh, probably just a bird?!" She exclaimed, laughing nervously. Levi looked at her wide-eyed and she cursed herself. Composing herself much easier, Mikasa cleared her throat again.

"Sorry, right. So… paperwork?"

"Is…everything all right?" Levi asked, eyeing her curiously. Mikasa shrugged, but it came out more as a twitch. Her attempts at being nonchalant making her appear and more and more out of character.

"Y-yeah. Just… a bit stressed out. What with planning the wedding and all…" Mikasa trailed off.

"I thought you said Armin and Christa were taking care of it…" Levi replied, and Mikasa struggled to think quickly.

"No, I know. I just… want to see how they were doing and… so and so. Anyway, it's been a while since I last hung out with you." She finally let out and was glad to at least feel that that much came out sincerely. It was true. The last time Mikasa had spent time with Levi had been nearly a week ago. …How did that happen?

"So… I figured it'd be nice if we just…worked together and talked." Mikasa continued, finally looking away from Levi to the window and struggled not to balk at Hanji making angry motions with her hands.

"Well," Levi agreed. "It has been a while." He smiled tenderly at her, and Mikasa felt a familiar warmth spread through her chest. It was a smile he reserved only for her and she couldn't help but smile back. But the feeling was awkwardly replaced by weak sheepishness at Hanji's movements. Hanji rolled her eyes dramatically before mouthing quite obviously,

_give. him. a. massage_!

followed by very exaggerated hand gestures. Mikasa perked up, realizing what was the next step but nearly froze when Levi walked past the desk to grab a chair and sit on the opposite side of her.

"So, what would you like to talk about?" Levi began, splitting the paperwork in half and handing over her share.

"Oh…uh…" Mikasa trailed off again, trying to sneak a sideways glance to Hanji as the woman continued to make huge movements that were soon lost on Mikasa.

"How has it been training new recruits?" Levi began, as he plucked a pen and began to scribble on a few documents. Mikasa frowned helplessly at Hanji before turning her attention on Levi.

"A nightmare." She replied honestly, but smiled when Levi gave a short chuckle. The sound of flesh striking flesh made the two look out the window, but it was clear outside and Mikasa could only heave a sigh before Levi continued the conversation and the two fell into a comfortable place of conversation. The feelings of nervousness soon melted away and Mikasa found herself thoroughly enjoying the company with the man she had agreed to marry.

* * *

Hanji was persistent, Mikasa gave her that much. Even after their fifth attempt ended in similar fashion to the first, Hanji merely sighed and set her sights in a brand new determination. The original determination Mikasa had felt slowly gave way to a grim acceptance, and she had stopped trying to convince the woman to just leave it be.

And now, Sasha and Christa managed to get themselves involved. Great.

"Alright, what about spilling food on him?" Sasha asked, and Mikasa leaned her head against the wall as she stared at the ceiling. Ugh.

"I don't think he'd like that very much." Christa shook her head. Hanji nodded.

"Even making it look like an accident, it wouldn't work." Hanji responded. "That would put him off more than turn him on."

"Okay, well he's obsessed with cleaning right?" Sasha piped up. "So, how about we have Mikasa offer to help him shower or something?"

"Guys…" Mikasa sighed but both Hanji and Christa perked up, eyes gleaming brightly with rapt interest.

"What if she just surprises him by already cleaning his study?" Christa offered. Hanji shook her head, vehement.

"That's it!" Hanji exclaimed, jumping off Mikasa's bed with a flourish, surprising the three girls. "We've been too soft! Too careful! We've been picking at grains when we should've been digging with fervor and ferocity!"

Sasha and Christa let out sounds of awed agreement. Mikasa could feel her stomach begin to drop. _Oh no._

"What we need is for Mikasa to _really_ surprise Levi." Hanji continued, cheeks flaming and glasses shimmering eerily from the candlelight. "We need to be more bold! More candid! No more beating around the bush!"

"We will have her sneak into his room, in nothing but an apron and a wash rag!" Hanji announced and Mikasa paled.

"No!" Sasha cried out. Mikasa felt her stomach drop completely. "Have her be completely naked!"

"Naked and soaking in soapy water!" Christa added, and the three women let out squeals of perverted glee.

"Guys, quit joking around." Mikasa demanded but the women turned bright gazes on her with the look of hunting predators.

"No, No, Mikasa…" Hanji chuckled darkly. "It is far too late to be joking. Far too late to turn back now…"

and in a moment Mikasa found herself attacked by her friends, and before she knew it she was stripped from her clothes and thrown into a bathrobe before hijacked out of her room and taken down the darkened halls of the castle. All before she could fully register what just happened.

* * *

"I changed my mind!" Mikasa exclaimed, struggling viciously to remove Hanji's tight grip on her body.

"Coast is clear!" Christa whispered from down the hall, her blue eyes bright with an unusual mischievousness.

"Now's not the time to be frightened rabbit, Mikasa!" Hanji insisted, her grin as oily as her words. Mikasa swallowed dryly as she tried to form an escape. What was going on? Why couldn't she just break free? She could rip a titan's hands to shreds but when it came to trying to run, she was as weak as a kitten!

Footsteps fast and soft the four women ran down the hallway, Sasha and Hanji gripping on to Mikasa's arms as they dragged her off.

"Please, guys, let's not do this now!" Mikasa begged, her heart ramming in her chest viciously.

"None of this now!" Hanji sang before taking a peek over a corner while Christa ran ahead to pick the lock on the corporal's door.

"But what if he's inside, sleeping?" Mikasa wailed. "Or worse, trying to work and I just get thrown in there, don't you think he'll have questions?"

"Mikasa, we're not just going to toss you in there in naught but a bathrobe!" Hanji gasped, affronted. Sasha shook her head, disappointed as they finally made it to Levi's door.

"Then…why…" Mikasa trailed off, words dying on her tongue as she looked at the door.

"Don't you worry, Ackerman." Hanji patted her head, giggling evilly. "We've made sure he isn't in there. You see, as we speak he is doing his rounds. Making sure that everything is in order before arriving to his room within," Hanji snatched a pocket watch from a slip in her jacket, snapping the lid open and peeking at the time. "Ooh, about 40 seconds!"

"_What!?"_ Mikasa squeaked, just as Christa gave a thumbs up and pushed the door open. Hanji and Sasha gave a quick boost before tossing Mikasa in, the bathrobe being yanked off her body as she was spun inside.

"Go ahead and get yourself comfortable, and remember, be cool. Just let it happen." Hanji grinned, Mikasa staring at her white as a sheet and sprawled on the ground.

"Good luck!" And with that they shut the door and left Mikasa quite naked and alone in Levi's room. With a clack, the door was locked again (damn you, Christa!) and Mikasa turned around looking at the room and trying to take deep breaths.

"Okay…" the woman shuddered, looking at the darkened room with something akin to massing panic. "I can do this. Just… be cool."

What should she do? Hanji never told her anything about this! Should she lay on the bed? Sit down on the bed? His chair? What position? Should she be under the covers or just out where he can see?

All too quickly Mikasa felt her entire body begin to burn with nervousness and she awkwardly tried to find a way to do as Hanji said, but not moments later did she hear the door begin to unlock and Mikasa Ackerman did the only thing she could do.

She hid.

Throwing herself through the nearest door, she yanked the closet door open and tossed herself inside just as the door to the room opened.

Levi entered, letting out a huge sigh of exhaustion, his left hand tugging at his cravat and his right pulling off his green cloak. when suddenly he froze Mikasa watched through a crack in the door and tried desperately to come up with a plan. He wasn't moving. He was just standing there and it was so dark she couldn't make out his expression.

Feeling around, Mikasa tried to find something to cover herself up with and wracked her mind to come up with a plan to escape from the closet, from Levi's room and back to her room without being caught. But being naked was already a huge distraction enough and Levi being just outside the closet was enough to send her heart pounding heavily.

Trying to still her breathing, Mikasa tried to quietly pull one of the cloaks from a hanger to wrap around herself but became very still when she saw Levi's moving figure head to the closet door.

Mikasa only had time to bite her lip before the closet door was yanked open and she was grabbed around the neck and thrown on the bed.

"Who are you?" Levi hissed, tightening the grip on her throat while the other pinned her arms down. Mikasa let out a sharp groan when she felt his knee press itself dangerously close to the center of her legs.

"L-Levi…" Mikasa wheezed. "It- it's m-me!"

"Mikasa?" Levi's voice kicked upwards, shocked before he reached over the side of the bed and flicked his oil lamp on. The soft candle light hitting her shadowed eyes and making her see the stars his grip on her neck was already causing. He let go immediately and she began to cough.

"Mikasa— what? What are you doin— _why are you naked?_" He pulled himself off, and Mikasa watched him, feeling her own surprise mount as she saw he not only looked surprised but his cheeks had turned a fine shade of beet red.

"It's hard to explain." Mikasa tried to say, coughing a bit as he stared at her, and tried to look away before yanking the cloak off his shoulders and tossing it quickly over her nude form. Mikasa tugged the cloak sharply around her body, clearing her throat now that the initial pain had passed.

"What the hell is going on?" Levi demanded, and Mikasa would've laughed if she wasn't so humiliated.

"I am so sorry!" She whimpered, hating herself even now for screwing everything up. Wow. that was new.

"What?" Levi breathed again, his hands on his hips.

"The girls were just being really weird and they found out you and I haven't slept yet and so Hanji went batshit crazy and began to try to get me to find a way to seduce you—"

"_Seduce me?_"

"Oh my gods…" Mikasa covered her face, completely mortified and feeling a terribly prickling feeling take place behind her eyes and nose. "I didn't mean for this to happen… I'm so sorry. I'll leave now."

Standing up and gripping the cloak tight around her body Mikasa shot up from the bed and tried to run past Levi, but his hand had shot out and grabbed her by the shoulder and used her own movements to spin her around and face him.

"Hold on," He began, looking into her eyes with disbelief and was that… amusement? "Don't run off, let's just talk about this."

"Levi, please just let me go to my room." Mikasa begged, feeling tears pool around her eyes despite her wish to yank them back down.

"So… wait, all this time… you've been trying to seduce me?" He asked again and Mikasa shut her eyes tight, tears falling down her face and hitting her exposed collarbone. The cloak wasn't very big enough to cover her from the neck to her legs where her hands were trying desperately to cover.

"That moment in the office? You trying to clean my dishes? The whole offering to do my laundry?" He asked, and Mikasa nodded, bowing her head to hide the growing river of humiliated tears.

Suddenly, Mikasa felt one of his hands gently tilt her chin up and a pair of soft lips press themselves tightly on her mouth. Her eyes fluttering open and close in surprise, she let out a startled moan but Levi used that as a chance to part her lips and push a very passionate kiss down her tongue. One of his hands was around her waist, pulling her flush against his body in a firm grip and Mikasa let him kiss her senseless all the while feeling extremely confused if not extremely relieved he wasn't upset.

"So," Mikasa spoke inbetween kisses, "You're not…angry?"

Chuckling against her mouth, Levi smirked. "Not in the slightest." He murmured before leading her to his bed and tripping her on it. She let out a short yelp when she landed on her back, the cloak parting around her sides and her hands instantly shot to the edges to hide herself again.

Levi's hands reached to grab hers gently and with a soft nudge and a kiss to her temple helped pull the cloak off her skin.

"Probably…" He spoke again and was met with a pair of wide onyx eyes. "you should let me know ahead of time you'll be attempting to seduce me again."

"I suck at this." She admitted. Levi nodded wisely.

"Most definitely." He agreed before ducking his head down and meeting her lips with a warm kiss. Soon, the cravat was flung off his neck and Mikasa busied herself with removing his shirt while he reached over and flicked the lamp off, drowning Humanity's strongest pair in darkness and delicious bliss.

* * *

"Levi…?" Mikasa panted after breaking away from a searing kiss, eyes narrowing in a dangerous gleam.

"Mm?"

"I have an idea."

There was a hush. Then…

"…I am marrying the perfect woman."

* * *

"We unleashed a monster…" Christa muttered, pressing a dainty hand to her forehead as Sasha and Hanji had their heads laid down on the table.

"They're worse than you and Jean, Sasha." Hanji groaned. Sasha hummed in agreement before lifting her head up to see Levi and Mikasa hiding quite poorly behind a corner, making out quite aggressively.

"You think they're doing this on purpose?" Sasha griped, looking away once Levi's hand began to tug on Mikasa's belt.

"I'm more worried it's going to get worse after the wedding." Christa sighed.

"Okay," Hanji threw her hands up, "I'm out of here. Whoever wants to join me in dunking my head in acid come with me."

Christa and Sasha nodded before slowly getting up and beginning to walk away, pausing only when Hanji whirled around and marched toward the heated pair.

"WILL THE TWO OF YOU JUST STOP FOR A MOMENT AND DO THAT IN A ROOM WHERE PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE TO SUBJECT THEIR EYES TO SEE THAT?!" The major shouted, Sasha and Christa groaning as everyone else in the mess hall began to sigh in agreement.

The pair broke apart for a moment before sharing a lewd grin and sprinting out of the room, hands practically in each other's pants as the door shut behind them.

"Way to go girls," Sasha drawled, "Well done."

"Not gonna butt in other people's business again, are you?" Connie asked, rolling his eyes as he walked passed them.

"Shut up, Connie." Hanji grunted.

* * *

_fin_

_yeah I know. this one came out cracky. but that's the point. I had to have my fun. and I did. so there._


	4. Daydream

_(alessia990: __Imagine Mikasa being really bored during a Scouting Legion meeting, so she starts a kinky fantasy about her and Corporal Levi (who is in the room and doesn't understand why the hell she's staring at him)._

_ Disclaimer: Don't own the characters._

* * *

**Daydream_  
_**_Rated T(+16) for suggestive themes_

* * *

For what must've been the sixth time, Mikasa forced her vision to focus and she straightened in her chair again. Suppressing a yawn she tried to remember what the sergeant at the front of the class was teaching.

"…This allows the full working transfer of the maneuver gear." He droned, and Mikasa chanced a peek at the soldiers next and around her, some were sleeping, others taking down lazy notes. "Now if you do not clean it with this brush, dirt can and will get clogged within the canister, hindering the …. under no circumstances …"

What was he even going on about? Cleaning the gear? She learned how to do that and memorized the proper method when she was in her beginning class.

Why were they even here?

Oh yeah… it's because some of the soldiers had left some of the gear laying around in the mud… Corporal Levi had been very irritated.

Speaking of the Corporal…

Mikasa lazily blinked her focus away from the nasally instructor and to the sitting form of the Corporal, watching the room with narrowed eyes, looking just as bored (if not more) as she felt. She sighed and looked down at her notes.

Nope. just scribbles and the occasional doodle. Good merciful Maria, how long did they have left of this?

She sighed again and looked back at the instructor and fazed out, unknowingly her gaze slid from the boring teacher to the Corporal, sitting there, unbelievably bored. Shirt clinging to his skin in the heat, muscles tight like coils ready to spring…

She wondered then what it would be like to touch them, run her hands down his arms and back and chest and abs. To really feel all that power just waiting to explode into gorgeous grace and agility. She imagined what it would be like to tug that cravat around his throat and yank it off…

Everything softly faded around her as her eyes slowly half closed.

_His eyes blinked slowly before fixing them on her, eyeing her with a dark and lustful gaze. Mikasa rose from her hair, not a single person caring as she walked past desks and rows of chairs and she made his way to him. He licked his lips, eyes flashing as she approached him. _

_"What do you want, Mikasa?" He would ask, his voice husky and low and Mikasa could feel her nethers begin to tighten and heat up. _

_"It's a hot day, sir," She whispered, gently prodding her knee against the side of his thigh and he proceeded to spread his legs to give her permission to cross his space, eyes never leaving hers save to trail down her body before staring into her eyes once more. _

_She lifted a hand and let it wrap around his cravat, lifting her knee to press against him and feeling him hiss as she slid to straddle his lap. _

_Her fingers worked on loosening the cloth, his hands moving from his chest to slide up her legs and grasping her hips and working their way up, trailing fire into her skin. _

_"Maybe I enjoy the heat," He murmurs as she yanks the cloth off, shuddering as she wiggles her hips forward. _

_"You will now," She replied, eyes glinting darkly, heart ramming in her chest when his shirt is suddenly gone and she is running her hands over those chiseled muscles. Suddenly the chair is gone and they are laying down on her bed, he was on top of her, drizzling honey on her naked chest and then dipped his head to lick it off. She threw her head back, moaning and writhing as she begged him to keep going when he finally reached her belly and she could feel his strong torso wrapped around her legs—-_

"Class dismissed!"

Mikasa straightened up with a start, horrified to realize she was practically drooling, her face flushed and her heart pounding in her chest. Lifting up the cuff of her jacket she quickly wiped the saliva off her mouth and began to grab all of her notes, trying to keep her hands steady. When she did glance up to get up she froze.

Levi's eyes were on her, one eyebrow raised but a sly smirk spread over his lips. Why is he… wait… DOES HE… HE DOES.

Mikasa's face went completely scarlet and she ducked her head before grabbing everything and bursting out of her chair, Cursing inwardly when she couldn't run out the classroom as the majority of her comrades where taking their sweet friggin time going out the door all at once.

Suddenly she could feel his presence behind her and Mikasa struggled to contain her breathing.

"Have a nice daydream, Mikasa?" He muttered just behind her ear, his breath making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end, a violent shiver coursed up and down her body.

"I…I-I don't know what you're talking about," She denied, and she could hear him chuckle.

"Well, let me know when you're ready to talk about it. I'm _quite_ interested in what it was about…" He hummed behind her and her eyes widened. _Is he implying…?!_

"I wasn't daydreaming, Corporal," She continued to deny. "I was just tired and I zoned out…"

"Oh, really?" He inquired and Mikasa glanced at him. He was eyeing her with a lazy smirk and she tore her gaze away. "Must've been quite the zone…"

Mikasa bit her lip, hard. Desperately trying to quit from reacting to him and punching him in the face.

* * *

- _just moments prior_ -

* * *

Levi had been in the middle of regretting setting up this mandatory instruction when as he had been looking over the faces of the soldiers he was met with the gaze of Mikasa Ackerman.

He rose a brow, but she remained staring at him and the more he returned her gaze the more he realized she wasn't just staring at him. What was she staring at? What's her deal?

There was a dark glaze to her eyes, cheeks tinted just a bit too red. Was she sick?

Upon longer inspection, Levi suddenly stood to attention. He recognized that look. He recognized it very well.

Her legs suddenly tightened under the desk and he could feel her eyes slowly make their way down his neck, to his chest and arms and finally settle, quite obviously, on his lap.

_Oh dear Sina, _Levi thought vigorously trying not to laugh. _She is having quite a daydream._

Yet as the moments passed, he could feel his body reacting to her intense gaze. His heart rate was slowly climbing, body getting just a bit too warm, pants getting a bit too tight.

This was not the stare of an innocent girl. She was full out undressing him with her eyes. Her cheeks suddenly burned a bit darker, hands clenching on her desk. Levi gulped. _Whoa now… getting a bit ahead of yourself, Ackerman. _

Levi struggled to keep his face steady and disinterested. Yet, as much as he wanted, he couldn't stop himself from looking at the curve of her neck, the blush on her cheeks, the dark stare of lust in her eyes... Sweet merciful clouds above... what is happening? As far as everyone in that class knew, nothing was going on.

The instructor completed his lesson and the class began to stand, but Levi could not stop the sly quirk of his lips when Mikasa snapped out of her dark reverie. She glanced away, pulling her things together before her eyes met his and he tried not to lose it when she realized that he was very much aware of the entire thing. Her cheeks flushed a dark, humiliated scarlet before ripping her gaze away. Levi, try as he might, could not stop the darkly amused smirk to curl at his lips then.

_Well now, _Levi chuckled to himself, _thing's just got a little interesting._

* * *

_Fin_


	5. Song: Pieces

Song request: Pieces by Red  
_One of my all time favorite songs by Red. This song is a solemn piece of somber piano and pensive strings. I highly encourage you all to listen to it while you read. Although I do warn you… this will be emotional._

_Disclaimer: I do not own SNK or its characters._

* * *

**Pieces**

_summary: Darkness was all he knew in this life. He struggled and pushed and ached, no longer able to cry. Yet she changed things and in his final moments, Levi finds that while some dreams crash around him in pieces there can still be resolution.__  
__Rated K for emotional elements and possible tear jerking feels.  
Rated: T for light triggering scenes_

* * *

Rain dropped like tears from the grey sky, striking his already cold skin like ice and fire and pain and wishes he had cast on stars as a boy. Every rain drop hitting his skin, as if the sky could not carry the weight of his dreams and wishes, dropping them heavily over his laying and bleeding form.

The pain had gone minutes ago (or was it hours?), leaving him numb on the grass. He could no longer feel the ache of his hands, having once squeezed so very tightly the blades that fell the titans. His legs were prickling with the memory of flying and his chest felt like someone had placed a very heavy slab of stone on it.

_"Corporal!" _

_"Eren, there's nothing we can do!" _

_"Let me go! He could die! Hanji, let me go!"_

_"I'm so sorry." _

"Fly, Eren…" He had whispered when he met the young boy's desperate and tear stained eyes over the yards of space. Hanji had not spared him a final glance as she yanked the boy far away, Eren screamed his name over and over as they disappeared toward safety.

Levi closed his eyes, and tried to move again. Nothing. His muscles would not respond. His back was broken. There was really nothing they could've done.

He could hear it… off in the distance… the sound of immense footsteps breaking trees and quaking the ground beneath.

Levi held his breath and tried to keep his heart from bursting into a run. This is how he was going to die. And he didn't regret it.

He had seen the titan before any of them had, it had flung an arm to crash into Eren's unknowingly frame. Levi needed only to pressed a button on the hilt of his swords and he jettisoned forward, throwing a leg to kick the boy out of the way when the hand smacked right into his back. The break was loud enough to garner the attention of the rest of the group, if the attack of the titan hadn't already.

He landed viciously, but his limp form absorbed the remaining strikes of the earth and so he felt no other injury ail him aside from serious bruises. He could see. Watch as they ripped the titan apart, and ripped many others apart as they tried to find a way to rescue him.

_"Can you move?" Hanji asked, her eyes wide with alarm and dread behind her glasses. _

_Levi could only wheeze in response, his eyes flicking to them back and forth and Hanji looked away. _

_"I am so sorry…" She had murmured, and under his pleading stare, helped straighten his body out despite the agony that burned through him. _

There was no point to goodbyes.

Levi let his eyes open again, unable to push back the fierce feeling that shoved its way out his eyes and down his cheeks, mingling with the rain.

He had hoped he would've been able to avenge his comrades. To survive this war and see the lands beyond the walls. He had fought and spilled blood both Human and Titan for the sake of hope. In it had been for Humanity's only hope that he was now here. Paralyzed and unable to even speak much.

Had his efforts not been enough? Had this all been for nothing?

Rain fell against his eyes, making them flutter as he stared at the gray sky above him. He clenched his teeth, feeling his chest shudder with pain not just gained from his injury.

Hope had given him more than just a new life. It had given him the only thing he had denied himself once before… before when his squad had been alive and her soft green eyes had looked at him with more than admiration. But when green eyes had died and all he saw was the flame of dark onyx orbs gazing defiantly at him, he forced himself to stay way.

But how could he ignore her? How could he try to remove himself from her when she was always by her brother and staring and asking and suddenly demanding to be with him.

And before he knew it, just two years after he had helped save her brother from getting swallowed by Annie… he had fallen in love with her raggedy red scarf. With her eyes and plump mouth. And her words and her dreams and her passion. With how she whispered, not his title, but his name.

_"Levi…_"

His heart gave a painful squeeze and Levi coughed, his back and legs spasming with agony. A pained grunt pulled out his throat and he tried to breathe, but it was becoming worse.

Even now… and suddenly every rain drop was a memory.

_"Just let me help you!" She had shouted, face flushed with anger when he refused her all those months ago. His leg was elevated and the ice that had covered his ankle had melted a while ago. She had been trying to apply the cream Hanji had given him, but the cream was not the only thing making his skin feel hot. Every caress of her hands made him feel on fire and it angered him. It had angered him because he never thought he would be so simple. So very simple. _

There was another crash. They were getting closer. As if they could smell the human off his skin. Levi bit his lip tight, hoping he wouldn't lose his wit now and prayed that he would be swallowed whole instead of bitten.

_"Believe it or not," She was ranting, her hands balled into fists at her side. "But I am here for a reason. I'm not just here because Eren wanted to be."_

_"Don't lie to me," He scoffed. "You made your choice to stay by him no matter what. If he were to suddenly leave to join the Garrison you would not even question him. You'd follow him blindly."_

_She slapped him. He only snorted at the blow, his cheek stinging. _

_"I've changed, corporal." She hissed, before turning and walking away. _

He could hear breathing, deep and shallow all at once. It was strong and heavy. He didn't need to turn his head to see. The titan had to be 17 meter. The way it's footsteps shook the earth beneath him. The way it was still moving even though the sunlight was souped in gray.

_"I don't think you are…" She had whispered, her hand gripping on to the edge of his cloak. He was staring at her, shocked. Her dark eyes were covered by her raven locks, swaying gently in the breeze. _

_"Heartless…" She explained. "I don't think you are." _

_"You'd be wrong." He said. She glanced up and looked at him. Really looked at him. Looked through his rough exterior and looked right deep into him and her grip on the cloak tightened. Levi had never experienced that kind of fear before. _

Thud. Thud. Thud.

_"Corporal," She breathed, her eyes wide beneath him. _

_"Levi," He corrected, biting his name out like a curse. He wanted her to know it. To understand that he was more than just a title. That his name carried more than just his face. _

_He could see how her throat rose and fell, and she gave the faintest nod and her hand was holding on to his arm. Electric bolts ran up and down from where she touched him and he would've buckled down on top of her if he wasn't so taken by her eyes. _

_"Levi…"_

He could hear her. Really hear her. Large fingers began to grab at his arm, immense appendages pulling him up and Levi felt his breath hitch in pain.

_It had been an accident. But her lips were meeting his again and her arms were around his neck and he could feel as if he had been liberated. He felt more freer than he had in his entire life, and he gripped the back of her shirt in his hands, desperate. Because in this world, this cruel world, he knew he could never fly. He was just falling. _

_"Levi…"_

A heavy sigh of foul breath struck the side of his face, pushing rain water down his cheeks and he wondered vaguely what it would be like to feel her skin beneath him. The pain is so real, and Levi feels a sob wrack his already agonized body but he allows himself to open his eyes and stare into the mouth that was widening to swallow him whole.

"LEVI!"

He was falling. His body striking the ground and he bites his tongue and the sensation reminds him too much of an old friend who always bit his tongue when riding horses.

"Levi!"

He was dreaming. He must be. Because there is a burst of steam and heat near him and he was alive and in pain but very much alive. He is searching desperately now, his eyes flicking back and forth as he tried to find her. He knew it was her. Her voice had been a beacon for so long… hearing it now was like breathing fresh air.

"M…Mi…kasa…" He wheezed and she bursts into the sky, hair soaking and cheeks bleeding but she looked like an angel. Flying over the rain and his hopes and his dreams with such a beautiful expression of relief. He doesn't know how, but he is reaching for her. Because she had become his hope.

She was at his side now and he could feel the tears cascading down his temples and he manages a small smile as she kneels next to him.

"What happened? Why can't you move? Levi!" She was asking, sheathing her swords and placing her hands - still as soft as the day he had felt them so long ago - on his face. He winces sharply and she lets go, as if burned.

He aches for her touch again and he tried to keep himself together, but he is shattering.

"His back… it's broken…" Someone speaks but Levi can't turn his head to see who. But he can see how the world in Mikasa's eyes fractured as she stared at him. Denial, pain, hope, relief, disbelief, despair all collided in her onyx eyes and he wonders how he had ever been able to resist her as long as he did.

"You're gonna be okay…" She whispers, trying to smile but her eyes are welling up with broken dreams and broken love.

"I…tr…tried so hard…" Levi wheezed but she was shaking her head, rain splashing his cheeks as it swung from her wet locks.

"It's okay." She weeps and she's grabbing his head gently now. "It's okay…"

And despite being torn apart, both emotionally and physically, Levi finds a way to smile. Because now, under the rain and broken, Levi could still feel her warmth and suddenly the pain was taking him under and he glances up, into her eyes. Her tears are hitting his face, warm even in this wretched cold.

He had thought he would not have this chance, but he smiles again, and he tries to tell her with his eyes what she's done for him.

_You've made me whole where I should be ripped apart. _

She weeps again and Levi lets her touch warm him and he sighs again, and closes his eyes for the last time.

* * *

_Fin_


	6. Song: Sail

_Song Request: Sail by AWOL Nation  
A/N: when I got this song I nearly lost it. I saw this video on youtube a while ago of a cat jumping and failing at a jump with this same song and it's been a source of amusement for so long. However, since I doubt humor is being asked for this particular song, I promise to keep my idea of hilarity far, far away from this fic. *snerk* Okay, okay, okay, here goes. side note: wow this one really got away from me…man. hehe_

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything._

* * *

**Sail  
**_summary:  
(Sci-fi AU.) Planet Fall. All hell was loose. Amidst the flames and tears and blood and manic laughter of the forgotten, stood the lone soldier. She watched, hands drenched in steaming blood as she watched the cloak on his back flap hard in the wind and with one simple look… she was captured.  
_Rated T for violence and some language.

* * *

_"Squad Eight take to the left! Arlert, give us the signal!"_

_"All systems go, captain." _

_"ARLERT!"_

_"Fire all weapons! Concentrate force on the center of the swarm!" _

_"Dive, dive!" _

There was a legend Mikasa had heard once when she was a young girl and the sky above her had been a vibrant blue instead of the endless black of space.

_"All plasma shields on standby, await my order!"_

_"The left hangar is down, Captain!" _

_"Dammit, where is Jeager?!" _

_"He's on the front, sir!"_

_"Bring him back, we need immediate assistance!" _

It was an old story, one passed down generations in one old and peeling book that carried an insignia of white and black wings instead of a title.

_"We can't! He's the only force out there holding back the worst of the swarm!" _

_"Shit!" _

_"Deploy the A.R.M Units!" _

_"With what energy? We're barely surviving with our shields at forty percent!" _

It was said that long ago, the world had been nearly destroyed by a force known as the Titans. But when Humanity had been pushed, like an injured tiger into a corner, it unleashed one man, The Lonely Soldier. And he was tasked to defend and protect the last of the falling humans. It said that with only two swords he had protected humanity, until Humanity took the power of the Titans and began to unleash men and women with Titan abilities to push back and win back the war.

_"We can't keep taking hits like this!"_

_"Sir, that last blast took out the last of the defense energy!"_

_"What of our shields?"_

_"I reverted the shields to take power from the auxiliary energy!" _

_"You fool, that's the life support!" _

_"If we don't keep up the shields there won't __**be**__ any life to support!" _

Some say the Lonely Soldier died in the final battle. Others say he survived and died of old age.

_"Unauthorized take off in bay 15! It's one of the W.I.N.G Frames!" _

_"What?!"_

_"I'm attempting to hail, now!"_

_"…Ackerman?!" _

_"Mikasa, what are you doing?! You'll get yourself killed!"_

_"Commander Pixis, I request permission to engage the Titans." _

It's funny, really. Because another version said he never died at all. Mikasa always thought that was a stupid idea. No one could possibly live that long.

"_Ackerman, what?!"_

_"Eren is being overwhelmed, even with the new KnightMare Frame I estimate there is a growing chance he won't be able to survive much longer." _

_"Ackerman, we need you here for defense—!" _

_"ACK!"_

_"I'm sorry, sir. But if I don't do this, there is a chance we will all die." _

_"We have no other choice, she's the second strongest and capable Hunter we have on command." _

_"Ackerman—-"_

_"She cut the line!" _

_"Sir, I have another unauthorized take off! It's the Liberty!" _

_"God DAMMIT!"_

Even so, it was a legend. A bedtime story. So when humanity took to the skies and then further into space, it began to spread. …Only to encounter another enemy. It was a swarm… a plague. After the Colonies of Mars were wiped out, Humanity was yet again pressed back by this fierce new predator. And in remembrance of the old histories, they called these new creatures Titans. Several more planets were taken and the Alliance of Planets convened and agreed on a military movement known as the Garrison of Salvation.

When the Planet of Zhinganshina was destroyed, pushes in military advancements nearly skyrocketed. Mikasa had only been ten when she watched the planet of her home burn. Her hand had clenched so tightly against her brother's. Eren had sworn then that he would find them… and make them burn. They watched from above the planet, and she squeezed his hand when angry tears dripped down his face. When they made planet fall in Trost, Eren signed up immediately into the Survey Legion - the faction of the Garrison that was only suited to fight the swarm head on.

_"Who is piloting the Liberty?!" _

_"Do you have to ask?"_

_"Squad Leader Hanji!"_

_"Enough," _

_"Commander Erwin…"_

_"Levi."_

_"...Erwin."_

_"Execute command LeonHardt Alpha." _

_"What? What does that mean? ERWIN!"_

_"Sir."_

The training had taken them ten years to complete. With the use of machines known as KnightMares, W.I.N.G Frames and the LeonHart frame known as The Androcles, the military was finally equipped to fight the pushing forces of the Swarm. By the time Mikasa turned twenty, she had risen along with Eren - the two becoming well known for being the most promising soldiers of the entire 104th Armada. At their graduation, they were immediately shipped out for battle.

5 years later, Mikasa had become one of Humanity's fiercest Hunters and it was discovered that Eren had an ability known as Synesthesia; sparked after he had nearly been destroyed under an ambush of Titans. He had been piloting the Knightmare Frame known as the Rourke. It's function handled on the connection between mind signals. The attack sent a malfunction - and awakened a power in Eren's mind.

Eren's ability allowed him to see the erratic movements and mental structures of the Titans. Allowing him to see into the inner workings of the Swarm and tap into their telepathic core. It had become one of Humanities strongest assets.

But they had underestimated the dark reaches of the Swarm's telepathic power. Eren had rampaged, nearly destroying two whole colonies, overwhelmed by the rage of the Titans' Psyche.

Mikasa had tried to stop him but her KnightMare had been severely damaged due to Eren's rampage. Horrified and handicapped, Mikasa nearly watched her brother destroy everything they had built. Until a W.I.N.G frame known as the Liberty, piloted by a man known as the Lonely Soldier, shot out into the abyss and single-handedly trapped Eren's KnightMare and disconnected his system.

Everything had changed for Mikasa then.

_"Mikasa!" her hands pressed commands on the keys around her, before squeezing the triggers of the hilts in her hands. Her W.I.N.G Frame shot off, twisting at impossible speeds - taking down Titans with white hot swords. _

_She spun and her W.I.N.G complied. She stabbed and sliced with her hands and the machine's arms and legs followed in exact movements._

_"Mikasa?" She heard over her radio, faces of her colleagues and follow soldiers appeared on the wide screen ahead of her, hovering over stats and machine numbers. _

_"Sasha, Jean!" Mikasa exclaimed. "You have a cluster rushing to your 2 o'clock!" _

_"Ymir, cover my left! Connie, where's Eren?"_

The battle that surrounded them, the screams and cries that her radio's frequencies picked up. It served as a reminder that they were still dying. No matter how many they killed… there would still be more ripping colonies apart, spilling blood into the space around them.

Mikasa met him once.

_"Planet fall, planet fall!" Someone screamed into her radio. "Eren Jaeger's W.I.N.G is breaking through Argo's atmosphere!"_

_"What the—? The Swarm is following him!" _

_"Kirschstein to Brass, Kirschstein to Brass, The Swarm is converging on the Argo! Titan Fall in approximately 1 hour. Request for immediate planet wide evac!" _

_"Negative, Kirschstein, There is not enough time."_

_"There are people still on that planet!" _

_"Kirschstein, Stand down! All pilots pull back and regroup in coordinates 50.01.912."_

_"What about Jaeger?!"_

_"I'm going after him!" _

_"Negative, Ackerman! You are not authorized to engage Titans! Return to base immediately!"_

_"Alert! Alert! W.I.N.G Frame known as the Liberty has just emitted EMP wave!" _

_"…What is he doing?"_

_"…Levi…" Mikasa whispered as she watched the stark white and emerald W.I.N.G frame shoot passed the ranks, a brilliant blur through the black of space, and fly straight to the planet ahead of them. _

It was a legend…

_She was making planet fall. With a series of commands over her machine, She was breaking at a million miles a second through atmosphere and through clouds of the Argo. Mikasa began to count. She had shut off her radio long ago as she broke into the planet, her eyes following the red and black of the Swarm as the beasts covered every inch of the sky. _

_She could see it. Land. Water… she was still falling when she saw the faint blip of white just miles ahead of her. She squeezed the trigger of her thrusters and grunted, the force was stronger under the pressure of gravity but she flew faster, her screen flashing warnings and coordinates and even tracking devices and names and words. _

_Mikasa pushed, and when she finally reached 100 she deployed her anti-grave and landed like a bullet striking the ground on the side of a lake. The Swarm was already on land. _

_There was blood and destruction. _

_It must've been a town. _

_But she saw it. The immense 30 meter tall mecha, it's humanoid appearance a stark brilliant difference from the dark forms of the creatures they have been battling for a century...The W.I.N.G Frame. Wielding immense Plasma Swords that annihilated swarm around the flames of the dying town. But she needed to focus and found the location of her brother's Frame. _

**Wasn't it?**

"Ackerman." The voice surprised her and Mikasa turned her head to see the face of Humanity's Strongest on the edge of her screen. His eyes were flat and glaring, his hands extended above his head, clenching the hilts in his hands as he sent command after command, bright pulsing rays of green flashing through the joints of the black suit. Explosions lit bright flashes over his face as his W.I.N.G Frame deployed missiles into the massing Titans around him.

"Corporal…"

"What are you doing?" He demanded.

"I'm here to save Eren."

"Your brother is dead."

"NO!" She denied, and she tasted blood and rage. But the results on her screen were enough to shake her confidence into fear. "He's alive, I know it!" Blue eyes narrowed into a curious stare, even through the force of the blasts around them, and the fall of gravity, Mikasa found she could not tear her gaze away. With a simple scoff, he gave a short nod and without another word, disconnected.

She was flying now. and when she saw the frame, it was broken and its cockpit splayed open and she screamed Eren's name when she saw his body laying just yards away - lifeless. Mikasa didn't remember ejecting but she was suddenly out of her machine and running on the ground, the air was acrid and sharp with Titan Scream but she needed to get Eren.

There was a screech and Mikasa squeezed her hilts' triggers in a special command and plasma swords spat out from the hilts and she was spinning in the air as her suit hissed with power. The black skin of the Aberrant Class Titan spat black acid as her swords ripped its skin apart. Bright red, almost neon red, blood struck plantlife and dirt, some of it landed on her face and she hissed in pain.

Get Eren.

She was surrounded and very close to serious trouble

But it didn't matter because she was so _close_ to saving Eren. She dodged and clicked the triggers again, shields coming around her in short bursts when she was attacked by Titan Scream - the spit and bile burning through rock like it was paper. It burned in her nose but Mikasa charged forward and disposed of the creature in swift twists and turns of flying speed.

Eight More Titans fell and Mikasa was breathing hard, her side was bleeding. Vision blurry as poison burned into her skin.

She needed to get Eren.

She began running again before reaching his fallen body. The sides of his face had burn marks that looked like scales and she hissed in fear when Mikasa saw how his teeth had sharpened into fangs around his lips.

"Eren," She called, shaking him. He groaned and Mikasa nearly sobbed in relief. "Eren, wake up!"

Another screech alarmed her and she looked up, eyes widening in horror when she saw a group of Titans rush at her before jumping and conjoining - their black and red flesh meshing like thrown water before a burst of energy nearly blinded her. The new class - Deviant - Titan spun before landing on clawed feet, and Mikasa felt her mouth dry up in fear when she noticed it's appearance almost looked _human_. But it was immense. Standing nearly 10 meters tall above her it let out a loud shriek, it's red eyes staring at her wildly before charging.

"Eren!" Mikasa screamed, trying to get her brother to move, but he didn't wake and so she threw herself over his body before hearing another howl and the sound of plasma and electricity squeal in her ears.

She looked up and gasped. _Levi..._

His body moved fast, faster than anything she had ever seen and he crashed through, blades of white hot fire piercing and destroying corrupt flesh and the Titan fell to it's knees before falling to its side. dead.

He flipped to the ground before jumping back, black suit shooting sharp bursts of gas and jettisoning him toward another pack of titans charging towards them. He spun and attacked and an explosion nearly deafened her but she could not stopped staring at how his body flew in the air, reaping Titans as if they were nothing better than daisies.

Fire sent birds of flame flying around them and Levi finally landed just a couple yards away, cloak of emerald flapping behind him and Mikasa felt her breath catch in her throat when she recognized the insignia on his back.

It was the same one. The same one on the ancient book she had seen and tried to read. Mikasa could never forget that symbol and she stared, wide eyed and fascinated. He slowly turned and his gaze met hers.

_The Lonely Soldier…_

It was impossible. It had to be.

"We need to go now." He called but Mikasa could not move. "We have just minutes before the Armada unleashes the Androcles and destroys the planet. Ackerman!"

She flinched before nodding dumbly. He stared at her for a moment before turning away and with a burst he took off, the W.I.N.G frame stood tall just meters away and Mikasa looks back at the boy in her arms. She presses a few triggers in his suit and hers and she is flying.

Mikasa's W.I.N.G burst through the air and she is pushing all the energy she can spare into her thrusters. She is following the speeding figure of The Liberty and when he unleashes a blast of white energy into the sky, they burst through the Swarm and into the black space.

_"Three minutes…" _Her screen is flashing the timer and she is dodging screeching Abberrants and Deviants alike, only caring to get as far out as possible.

The next few moments pass in tension filled urgency and suddenly a burst of white light blinds her as she is flying and for a second she fears that they didn't make it out of the explosion's range.

But black soon bleeds into the cockpit and Mikasa breathes.

_"The planet Argo has been destroyed." _

_"What of the Swarm?"_

_"We can estimate a good 60 percent of this Cluster has been destroyed in the blast." _

_Cheers explode in the bridge and sighs are exhaled. They did it. They survived. _

Mikasa collapses in her cockpit, her Frame floats in space as it powers down. She is trembling and she is weeping because Eren is alive and they did it. But even as she cradles her brother's unconscious body in her lap as Jean and Sasha's KnightMares fly towards them to take them back to the Brass Mikasa cannot shake the feeling in her chest.

The feeling sparked under the gaze of Humanity's Strongest, surrounded in flames and ferocity. The gaze of the Lonely Soldier. Mikasa wonders if the age she saw in his eyes was more than any one in the Armada, Garrison or Legion could estimate… or maybe not.

Maybe it was coincidence.

But the insignia was still fresh in her mind's eye and Mikasa clenched a fist in a salute against her chest… but why she did that… she never knew and would never find out why.

* * *

_Fin_


	7. Coffee Stains

_I'm so sorry guys, but recently I have been going through an unexpected rough time. It threw me off my mojo and haven't been able to get my creative juices flowing again. But thanks to the support of so many of you, I can announce that I am BACK. Now, if you don't see your prompt here, I am still working on it. I've got so many drafts written up for ideas based on said prompts. But I won't post anything until I'm completely satisfied with it. Now, without further ado..._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

* * *

**Coffee Stains**

_Summary:  
__Every one has their breaking point. Everyone has a little spot where they finally snap and do something stupid. Really... really stupid. Mikasa not only does one... but she does another. It's safe to say that the Lance Corporal may had been expecting the first... not so much the other. __  
_

**Rated T for suggestive themes and mild language.**

* * *

The silence between them was deafening. Borderline destructive. But still. Oh so very still. Like the stillness before a very loud, a very strong explosion.

Books were in their place on the shelves; neat and clean and dust free. Each set of furniture was optimally located and angled perfectly, each cushion plush and vibrant in soft color as well as cleanliness. The desk was arranged neatly and the lamp and pens and cups all glistened softly under the lazy sunset light. It would've been a picture of focus, a picture of a place of work and zen.

For one looking from the outside in, one would say was nothing out of the ordinary save...one... little detail.

That detailing being that there was dark coffee, staining and dripping, slowly spreading down the once sparkling wooden desk. Documents were soaked, pens were sprinkled with fine, moist dots of the caffeine heavy drink. Even the tea cozy and the coaster were slowly invaded by the spreading liquid before it reached the edge and in silver thin threads spilled from the desk and onto the ground, splashing.

The sound continued for a moment as two pairs of eyes bore deep into each other. The onyx pair was wide, defiance and shock and a slowly bearing dread fighting behind the reflective surface. The blue pair had once been wide, shocked and surprised only to narrow into a flat stare. Thinly veiled fury and disgust rolled from behind said stare, piercing and unmerciful.

"..._Ackerman_ ..." the name came out through thin lips in a short hiss and there was a flinch from the eyes opposite.

The Onyx pair flinched down, taking in the sight of what had caused such a dread filled stand-still.

Soft cheeks, twitching lips, and chin were sprinkled dark and dripping. Beige jacket - once clean and perfectly pressed was now soggy with the growing black stain. The white cravat, once a soft, pristine white, was now plastered against the shirt underneath. Both now had turned a opaque dark brown and clung to tight skin and firm muscle of the chest of the Commanding Officer. Drips of the dark coffee dripped and fell from where the cloth still hung away, each drop hitting the ground was like a mocking laugh.

Pink lips popped open in shock and there was a sharp intake of breath.

"...C-corporal..." the title was a short breath of shock, as if it what had just transpired was unbelievable. And it most definitely was. Because in her hand she held the perfect porcelain teapot, empty of its beverage. Whatever remained ran down its open and tilted top to stain and wet the hand clutching it tight.

Mikasa Ackerman had just thrown an entire teapot's worth of lukewarm coffee directly on her commanding officer and renowned Humanity's Strongest Soldier; Lance Corporal Levi.

Mikasa blinked, looking back and forth between the tilted teapot in her hands and to the large stain on the _entire_ front of the Corporal, as if trying to make the connection of what just happened.

Said commanding officer only straightened from his once leaning posture on the desk behind him and the sound of more dripping followed. For a brief moment, Mikasa feared she would be traumatically afraid of that sound for the rest of her life.

"You do realize..." He spoke, slowly and gravely. His eyes never left hers for a _single _ moment and Mikasa could feel her stomach quiver with an emotion she had only associated with seeing a Titan face to face. But this was worse. So...much worse. "_Exactly_ what you've just done, correct?"

"I believe," her voice reached his ears, but her face seemed to have frozen in that expression of shock, bleeding anger and disbelief. "...I just served you the coffee you had asked for."

His eyes widened for a split second before narrowing again and Mikasa wasn't sure whether to pat herself in the back or kick herself because _that was not what she was supposed to have said._

"Oh?" He asked, but the sound reached her ears with something akin to a subtle threat. Something inside her was urging her to run, to book it and make it like hell was on her heels because what she had just done was going to make the equivalent of the Death Reaper make her life a living one. But another side of her, the side that flared with life and adrenaline under the face of danger and blood and death, seared her feet to the ground and made her heart begin to race with another emotion all together.

"You asked for coffee..." Mikasa Ackerman elaborated, unable to stop, "And so I brought you coffee."

Suddenly, it was as if a dam in her mind had broken, freeing all the memories back to the front of her mind and she remembered exactly what happened and why.

_"Ackerman," Levi called as he walked past her, she slowed to a stop and faced him. Dreading what he would demand next, Mikasa waited but stifled an irritated sigh. _

_"Yes, sir?" She clipped out the inquiry, earning her an empty glance. _

_"I want a pot of coffee in my office within the next fifteen minutes. You are to make it to my specifications. For any other useless question you may have concerning this __menial __task, please direct it to the cook. However, you are forbidden to have any help in the matter whatsoever." _

_The salute she gave him after the order was a tight and slowly done, her fist was clenched far too tight when it reached her chest. Her lips pulled into a flat and very straight line beneath her mouth, but she nodded and left in the opposite direction. Controlling herself from stomping away took nearly every once of her self-discipline and when she got to the kitchens she began the task and nearly scared everyone nearby. She had slammed cups, spoons, kettles and splashed boiling water in her rage and as she ground the coffee beans she remembered the cook squeaking in fright at her. Said cook then tried to warn her that if she kept it grinding the beans at that pace she would start a fire. Mikasa did not care. If she could serve a cup of flames and pour it down the Corporal's throat she would enjoy every bloody moment of it. _

_Instead she settled on preparing the coffee, following the cook's instructions with an attitude of a raging blizzard. Ten minutes later of screwing up one pot of coffee, she was able to complete the second. However, in her haste and blinding fury to finish the task she had forgotten to bring the small burner that would keep the beverage nice and hot when she set it up in his office. At the same time, the coffee pots had all been removed from the kitchens since, apparently, they were receiving new coffee pots this time tomorrow. It was as if the Corporal had planned this. It was as if he _ knew _that there would be no coffee pots and that she would have no choice but to serve him in a teapot. _

_Honestly, this much did not shock Mikasa._

_She knew the Corporal could get brutally avenging after suffering an injury, and Mikasa had prided herself in being able to do every single task he gave her - and then some - after suffering an injury she had unwittingly caused. And she had taken it in stride! But slowly, her stride was wearing down to dragging stomps and storming thuds the more Levi insisted she do more. As if her trials were only getting progressively more ridiculous and impossible..._

_That stupid faced, short haired, bitter midget bastard. _

_When Mikasa had finally reached his office after nearly exhausting her anger out while she brewed the damn beverage, she had knocked and walked in to see him standing over his desk nearest to her. He took one glance at her and then one glance at the teapot in her hands and looked away, scoffing. _

_The rage had begun to return with a roaring vengeance. _

_"Did you grind the beans correctly?" He asked. _

_"Down to the last inch," She replied tersely, wanting nothing more than to grab her swords and take out her anger on a bumbling Aberrant. _

_"Did you heat the water to the right temperature?" _

_"Yes..." She hissed before extending the hand holding the coffee burdened teapot. _

_"Shame you couldn't find just one coffee pot." Levi sighed, and Mikasa's hold on the handle of the pot tightened as her knuckled burned white. Biting her tongue, Mikasa attempted to slow and steady her breathing - she did not want to show he was getting to her at all. _

_He finally turned to her, setting some of the documents down on his desk before leaning his backside against the wood of his desk. Levi crossed his arms and urged her closer with just a nod. _

_The tension rose as she took on begrudging step forward, the teapot swinging under her grip. His eyebrows rose, disinterestedly as he eyed the porcelain with a critical gaze. Another short pause followed before Levi let out another short sigh. Mikasa felt her anger shoot up exponentially and she could feel one of her eyebrows begin to twitch as well as a muscle in her upper lip. _

_"It's lukewarm." He declared and Mikasa felt a great stillness shoot through her skin like lightning. _

_"It's...what...sir?" Mikasa asked, her voice soft but reaching a high pitch that not even Eren or Armin ever heard fall from her lips. _

_"Lukewarm, Ackerman." Levi looked back into her eyes, level, irritated and...was that amusement? "Did you at least bring the burner?" _

_Mikasa felt a stone fall into her chest and she tried to hold back the dam of rushing frustration just threatening to break her poker face. _

_"No?" Levi asked and answered in one moment, his eyebrows rising higher now. Mikasa's hand was trembling. _

_"Well done, Ackerman." He sighed once more. Mikasa stopped breathing. "Unfortunately, I do not drink my coffee at anything less than hot. Throw that away. I won't drink that." He ordered. _

_He _ ordered. _Something in that moment deep within Mikasa Ackerman snapped with an unbelievable force and before she knew it, her opposite hand had reached up, grabbed the teapot's top lid and after grabbing it's warm side. jerked the heavy pot forward. The coffee could only follow the force of her shove and exploded from the pot, striking the shorter officer's entire front and even desk behind him with a crashing splash that would echo in her ears for a lifetime._

His eyes had widened the moment the beverage landed on his front, dripping and spilling _everywhere_ . Mikasa felt such a fierce relief course through her blood and veins with such unbridled adrenaline and euphoria it had frozen her from doing anything else aside from just standing there, gaping and breathing heavily.

Back to the moment, Mikasa took one last glance down at the clinging clothes - taking a moment to enjoy the embarrassing spill (as well as secretly taking sweet note of how his muscles now seemed to pronounce more behind sticky brown cloth) - before meeting his eyes again.

"Where do you get the _nerve_, Ackerman?" Levi hissed gravely, his eyes flashing bright the complete and utter fury behind his eyes and Mikasa felt a thrill zap through her entire spine like a violent shiver.

"Would that be all, sir?" Mikasa asked, feeling the high of relief and fear and dread and complete and utter disbelief and satisfaction surge this strange new courage through her chest.

Levi's mouth dropped open slightly, but to Mikasa it was the equivalent of a jaw drop. This strange new courage began to kick whatever fear she had in her chest right out to replace it with movement and she took a slow step forward.

"Ackerman... have you lost your damn mind?" He asked, genuinely surprised.

"Not yet," Mikasa replied, almost giddy and she took another step forward. Levi's arms slowly began to drop from his chest, dark coffee dripping from his hands to hit the ground in soft _pitter-patter_.

"I have just one more thing I think I should conclude before taking my leave, _sir._ " She whispered. Mikasa had no idea what she was doing, Levi had no clue was she was doing. The flat and viciously angry stare from his blue eyes had melted into a blank and unexpected look. Mikasa had never felt so powerful in all her life and so...she did another stupid thing.

Taking a decisive step forward, Mikasa slammed the coffee stained teapot on the table behind Levi before balling her fists around the soggy and dripping cravat. She could've lifted her other hand and punched him right in the mouth. Mikasa could've thrown him down to the ground. Headbutted him. Knocked him right out and left him curled on the floor, soaking wet with coffee and humiliated like she had wanted to make him feel for these past few days.

Instead, however, she had gotten distracted by the sight of his muscular chest, visible through the wet cloth of his shirt. By the sight of his very livid, very emotionally bright blue eyes and the way the coffee staining his mouth and chin glistened under the hot rays of the sunset.

The violent need to make him feel pain vanished in a blink the moment her eyes left his to glance at the way the light bounced off his caffeine-moistened lips and a new urge filled her with unbridled force.

And in that swift moment, before she could even make sense of what was going on, Mikasa Ackerman pushed the Lance Corporal Levi against his desk and slammed her mouth over his. _Hard. _

Later that night, Mikasa would pound her pillow over her face, over and over, wondering exactly what _possessed _ her to kiss her superior officer when he had been the bane of her evenings and the massive thorn in her ass for the past few days. And she would scream until she went hoarse into said pillow, cursing herself for being so impulsive instead of bringing that _stupid_ burner to his office and left him alone for the night. After that Mikasa would ask herself without end and lose sleep, trying to figure out why she kissed him and _why_ he kissed her back.

Yet, presently, Mikasa was very angrily pushing her tongue down the Corporal's throat. Levi had let out a very surprised grunt the moment her lips met his and his breath hitched tight in his throat when Mikasa pressed her body, almost primal, against his caffeine soaked chest.

His hands had gone up to her shoulders, no doubt to shove her away - but the moment her hands had gone from his ruined cravat to his neck and chest all manner of self restraint from both parties had vanished.

So his hands clenched tight over her shoulders (leaving finger sized bruises that would not fade for the next couple of days) before travelling to her hair and waist. Angry, demanding, possessive. Levi's hands, still sopping with dark coffee, tangled against her dark tresses harshly and he heard her hiss against his lips when he gave a short yank. Maybe it had been a warning, a way to tell her to get off. But her attack did not end.

Instead she seemed to reply just as violently, her hand running up the back of his neck (making his knees give a sharp and pleasurable wobble) before grabbing at the strands of his hair and pulling at the base just as sharply.

Levi let out a loud groan, feeling all the blood begin to shoot down to his nether regions and press hard against her thigh. Mikasa's hand yanked again and another violent need to press more than coffee soaked clothes against hers surged between him as their mouths and tongues wrestled, and sharp breaths mixed in frantic bursts.

Her arms tightened around his neck, his curled around her waist and clutching at her rear and now moist hair. Mikasa's breasts pressed tight against his tight pectorals. His hips gave a sudden buck beneath hers and she let out a high pitched little "_Ah" _against his lips at the sensation of such sharp and explosive friction. It was mind-boggling.

Mikasa felt her knees give for a moment before straightening again, making her body rub hard against his and Levi let out another sharp moan, however there was no ounce of pain in the sound and a similar sound bubbled from within her chest and through her throat.

Tongues lashing, the taste of bitter coffee and each other being shared to a point of serious bruising, it all came to a halting stop the moment Mikasa pulled away to swallow a deep gasp of air.

Two pairs of eyes, wide and shocked, met just inches away. Gasping, Levi and Mikasa stared deeply into each other's eyes, a million questions passing and a million emotions clashing. After what probably was a million years, Mikasa tore her gaze away.

Slowly and unsteady, Mikasa peeled herself off Levi's body, blood thrumming through her skin like a boiling river. She looked at her hands, wet with coffee and even littered with slim black strands of Levi's hair she had yanked, but shaking. Definitely shaking.

_Oh my god... what just happened?_

"I...I have to go..." Mikasa croaked, suddenly feeling as if her entire body had been dunked with dirt and grime and fire. With acute horror, she realized her entire front had also been soaked with coffee, exposing the dark underwear beneath the now translucent shirt.

"Mikasa..." Levi breathed, shakily. "_What...?_" Her eyes jumped back to his, mortified and dread filled. There was a dark flush to his cheeks and a stunned look in his eyes.

"We have training in the morning, Le-_Corporal_," She corrected herself, wincing visibly. He pushed himself off the soaking desk, Mikasa recoiled the moment he moved.

"Yes... in the morning..." Levi replied stopping himself from getting any closer. Before anything else transpired, Mikasa did a shaky salute, her hands tingling at the memory of his hair, drenched skin, and tight muscles in their grasp, before she turned and fled the room. The door shut with a soft thud, leaving a stunned Lance Corporal to stare with wide eyes in the direction she had left.

When Mikasa reached her room, having nearly ripped the door off the hinges, she found herself pacing back and forth vigorously. She walked in stressed circles before finally collapsing on her bed. Letting out a loud and self-deprecating groan when her face hit the mattress.

There was no way.

Mikasa Ackerman had not just spilled coffee, she did not just assault her commanding officer. She attacked and kissed him, rubbed her body against him like an animal in heat and had gotten _heavily_ aroused... by _Corporal Levi._

Mikasa never jumped in a shower as fast as she did then, but even after scrubbing and cleaning and disinfecting, Mikasa could not - she just could not - rid the smell of coffee off her skin and the way her bruised lips and scalp and body shivered so _deliciously_ after remembering how he had responded...

And how _powerful_ she felt after he gave in.

_Killing Titans was not going to be enough now..._ and with that thought, Mikasa slammed her head against her pillow late that night, over... and over... and over again.

* * *

_Fin_


	8. Song: Yellow

_Song fic request completed on Tumblr. _

_Yellow - by Coldplay. _

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

* * *

**Yellow**

_summary:  
__"There are some things you can't change." Erwin had once told him. His hands were cut up and bleeding as he stapled stars to the ceiling. "Some tragedies you can't avoid." But why do tragedies happen when happy endings are more than deserved? For the first time in Levi's life, he was running. Running for his life because now that she walked away he had found it. The color that made him feel. The color that pushed him to chase after her. The color of the flower he had placed once behind her ear. And it was so yellow._

_Rated K+ (slight language and suggestive themes)_

* * *

Grey surrounded him in tight walls. Tight words and memories of her tears and gritted teeth.

Levi stared out the window of the large, large and vastly empty apartment room. In his anger and grief he had splashed buckets of gray all over his once blue walls. And now he was surrounded by silence and monochromatic scents that dripped down outside his window and stained his clothes.

_"My name is Mikasa," She gripped his hand and Levi could only nod, because she was different and she had smiled when he had offered her his name instead of a drink. _

His phone rang and Levi felt his fingers reach for the curved plastic and he lifted it to his ears. He already knew who it was.

"Levi!" He closed his eyes.

"What the hell are you doing?" Hanji was shouting, outraged. He couldn't feel, his blood had turned gray days ago, the color stolen from his veins and wrapped solely around her neck.

"Hey, Hanji."

"Are you just going to let her walk out of your life?" She exclaimed and Levi heaved a sigh, eyes blinking lazily as he stared at the falling sky against the glass of the impossibly large window of the room. This had once been their room. Here he had tossed and turned with her, writhing and laughing with pleasure on a bed as colorful as her scarf had been the day he had kissed her.

"She left, Hanji…" Levi spoke, his voice had lost the joy he had felt so brilliantly. How long had it been? He was so spent. His eyes burned, his chest felt hollow and his hands were still stinging from punching at the walls. His throat was hoarse, tongue still bitter with the screams he had shouted when he had returned home.

"That's no excuse, Levi!" Hanji roared, her voice sounded so distant and he pulled the phone away from his ear, staring at the flashing lights of the keys. "You can't just let someone like that leave, Levi! She loved you! She still loves you! Go get her!"

"…I can't…" He murmured.

"Don't you _dare_ say that to me!" Her voice cracked and he could hear her tears. Yet another person he was hurting. God… "Don't you _dare!_"

"Hanji…"

"You have to fight for her, Levi! Remember all that you went through to get her? You jumped off a three story building to catch a bus that would take you to her, Levi! No one does that for anyone unless that person meant the world to them! Do that now!"

Someone was pounding at his door now, Levi let his eyes slide close again and he vaguely wondered if that was what was pushing the blood through his veins now. Just very loud and very hollow _thump-thump-thumps._

"Levi!" it was Eren.

_"This is my brother," Mikasa introduced. Levi smirked when he met the brunet's eyes. _

_"We've already met." Levi said and Eren was throwing a fist to clip him in the chin and before he knew it he was getting kicked in the gut while Mikasa exclaimed in shock. _

_"I'm gonna kill you!" Eren was roaring. Levi laughed despite the blood staining his teeth. Seems he was still sore over losing the last copy of Halo 4. Oh how the world was small…_

"Levi, open the door!" Eren was screaming.

"Levi! Stop feeling sorry for yourself!" Hanji ranted. Levi leaned back, staring at the ceiling above, letting the numbness in his chest face the screams and shouts around him. Yet no matter how hard he tried to balance out the ferocity of his pain with grey he could still remember, wretchedly and aggressively, the color of the sunflowers Mikasa had brought him for his birthday.

How she had laughed once. And how she wept just feet away, her hands clutching airline tickets as she begged him for a truth. How bitter his mouth filled with fear because he didn't know if she really wanted it. If she was ready for it. He was still much older… he still knew a lot more. And it was that knowledge pushed her away. So in silence she cried, grabbed a bag and walked out the door. And Levi did not move a muscle.

"Levi!"

Tears fell down his face once more and he hated himself, because even now he could still not say it. He still could not say it…

* * *

Two more days passed and Levi was staring out the window again, yet his eyes were glued to the street below. Vaguely hoping that maybe if he waited, he would see it. Yellow. A yellow cab that would pull on the street by the gate of his apartment. That would expose a yellow cardigan and deep red scarf and smiling onyx eyes.

But the day passed and his phone rang and the door banged, and Levi did not move.

How could he?

There was no point anymore...

* * *

Silence followed for hours and sunsets and sunrises, he ate and drank without tasting, without feeling. He had long exhausted his anger, his self-loathing and his sorrow. Now he stood staring at the cup of black coffee without care. Mail littered his desk and Levi went through the motions of the day, writing and doing things as if he had been thrown into one of the very black and white movies he had seen with her and for a dreadful moment he remembered when she had mused what life would be like without color. A bubble of dark amusement burst through his chest as he leaned over his balcony before throwing his head back and laughing as the rain and wind pelted him without mercy. Oh if he could tell her now... because he knew. He knew because she had gone, taking all the color with her and leaving him in muddled gray raindrops and sharp concrete rails.

He slept without caring about how the rainwater soaked his sheets, no longer caring about how her scent had disappeared and how that knowledge had left him near vicious and bleeding hysterics. He was so pathetic. Walking to work, Levi left his emotions at home - hating the smiles and laughter of the people around him. He was exhausted. His hands had been bleeding and he could only focus on wanting to return to his apartment... because he remembered something else she had said and it threw him into action. It threw him into doing something without thinking...

A soft knock brought him back to his desk, and Levi nearly jumped when he realized he was just staring at his work desk. His cup of coffee had long since cooled. Looking up he saw his boss, Erwin Smith standing against his open office door.

"Levi," He greeted, his eyes a soft and sincere warmth that Levi didn't expect.

"Ah," He spoke and cleared his throat when his voice came out in a croak. "Erwin, sorry. I'll have those reports on your desk right now…"

"You left those reports on my desk three hours ago, Levi." Erwin replied and Levi's eyebrows lifted before he looked back at his desk.

"I just got a call," Erwin continued, concerned at Levi's silence. "It was Mike. He says Hanji has been trying to reach you for the past week and a half."

"Was she?" Levi asked, snorting to himself humorlessly. Of course she was. Nearly every waking moment his phone rang, a cruel reminder of something he wasn't sure he was ready to let go.

"He left me a message Hanji was trying to relay," Erwin sighed, walking in and sitting on the chair opposite his desk. "Would you like to hear it?"

"…No." Levi replied, staring back into his coffee cup.

"Too bad," Erwin shrugged and Levi looked at him with mild surprise. "She is leaving today to Rome." The force of the statement was as effective as kicking Levi in the gut. All the pain and all the lack of air included in the following numbness. His eyes widened as he stared at his boss, Erwin's blue eyes stared into his own. Testing.

"In fact… her flight leaves in about 45 minutes."

Levi feels something grip his chest tight. Hands clench around the coffee cup, the many band-aids around his fingers crinkled soundlessly. The dark liquid trembling within the pale porcelain, shaking his reflection and physically rendering how he was feeling inside.

_"Please… just tell me…" She begged him, tears falling like bombs against her scarf. _

Why was he remembering this now…?

"Levi," Erwin was speaking again, leaning forward, yellow tie peeking out from within his dark suit jacket. Levi's eyes dropped to the color, wide and frozen. _A flash of a wide grin. A Sunflower behind an ear pressed against dark hair. A cardigan tossed to the ground as he delved into pleasure and ecstasy with the woman with the crooked smile and melodious laugh. _ "In this world there are some things you can't change…"

_Levi hissed, ripping off the tiny staple from his thumb. A bead of red blood joining the other injuries of his hands. He placed the injured digit in his mouth and sucked hard. He looked back up at his grey wall and scowled. He reached over to another star before snatching the stapler from the ground and snapping its mouth over the yellow paper. 45…_

"Some situations we can't run away from…"

_Scissors snipped decisively around the bright yellow construction paper. His wooden floor was littered with bits of curling yellow and screw ups. His left hand was bandaged up with a white bandage, he ignored the red spots his blood splashed on the wooden floor beneath him. Newspapers scattered his floor and bunched in corners, grey and red and yellow. _

"Some tragedies we can't avoid…"

_Levi let out a deep sigh, wiping sweat and blood and tears off his face. He reached up and slapped another yellow paper star against the grey wall, hitting the stapler viciously against the wall as he pressed against the tall ladder. 273…_

"But sometimes…"

_Narrow blue eyes blink, focused as his hands lifted a brush, soaked with lacquer and he stroked. Teeth gritted, Levi pressed the brush again, leaving a smooth shine behind as the color brightly twinkled under the sunlight… _

"When life gives us a chance…"

_He looks up, hands clenching and unclenching by his sides as he stares at the wall. One thousand stars looked back at him, bright and perfect and yellow. He had repainted the wall again, the gray fading into a soft and radiant dark blue behind every little star. He smiled bitterly to himself remembering how she had ran her fingers over the stars on a coffee cup he had bought her so long ago. How she had told him she wished she could see the stars but how the New York lights made it hard to see them even after the sun had set. Falling to his knees, Levi wept, wishing she could see it now… see the stars he cast over the ceiling and walls they had once stared at in the night after they had kissed and memorized each other's skin. _

"You don't let it pass you by. Because there are so many people out there who will never feel what you have felt… and surely still feel."

_He sweeps, and polishes, cleans and washed. Detergent stings against the cuts on his hands, but Levi relishes it because for the first time since she left, he allows himself to feel. _

"So…" Erwin stands up, and throws him a pair of keys. Levi catches them, the feel of the metal against his aching hand breaking from his reverie to stare at his boss and friend of six years with surprise.

"Go get her."

He leaves and Levi stares after him, keys biting into his palms.

_"I'm gonna say something and you're not allowed to laugh..." She whispered against his ear, they were swaying in a slow dance. He smiled against her ear before nuzzling her neck and kissing her briefly. _

_"No promises," He teased and Mikasa smacked him lightly in the shoulder where her hand was pressed. He let the hand on her lower back give a gentle squeeze and she shook her head against him, chuckling. Her laughter died the more they swayed to their own music and their own heart beats. _

_"Levi..." She murmured and Levi pressed his forehead against her temple. "I love you..." _

He took in a slow shuddering breath.

_Pulling away he stared into her eyes, digging, searching. But there was nothing but the utmost sincerity in those dark eyes of hers and even some anticipation. A sudden dip in his chest made him look away from her eyes and to her lips and because he had nothing to say (he couldn't, how could he?) pressed his lips in a soft kiss against hers. _

"I love you..."

_I love you..._

_Levi._

In a burst, the coffee is flying to stain the dark carpet, and Levi is running.

He jumps and shoves past people, running as hard as he can. People cry out and exclaim but he doesn't care. Following the sunlight of the day out the doors, vaguely remembering how Erwin chuckled when he flew past him.

He took the stairs three at a time, jumping the last five and landing on linoleum with a loud smack and people jumped as he sped past them, doors slamming behind him. Air is bursting in his lungs and his heart is beating, and he can feel every intake of breath give life to his muscles and eyes.

He sprints passed pedestrians and through speeding traffic, ignoring the angry honks and shouts of New Yorkers as he heads toward the black convertible on Erwin's parking space. He jumps in and slams the key in the ignition and before Levi could notice the stand of bright yellow sunflowers greeting him on the side of the street he is hitting the gas and heading down the street. Wind makes his hair slap and smack his head but Levi doesn't care. He is glancing at the time.

_30 minutes._

He merges lanes five times, speeding past slow moving vehicles and running three red lights.

_22 minutes._

He is making a sharp turn when he remembered the name of the street that took him to the airport and he is laughing when someone flips him off for cutting them off.

_17 minutes._

He is taking turning on the exit and he hears his phone ringing and he snatches it from his jacket pocket.

"Hanji!" Levi shouts over the wind blowing through his hair.

"Levi!" Her voice calls back, and she is laughing. "Erwin called me, said you were running! What are you doing?!"

"I'm going after her, Hanji." Levi announces, a sharp honk from the car he just caught off making him grin wildly.

"Really?!"

"Quick, what terminal is she in?" Levi makes a sharp turn and feels his heart burst at a gallop when he sees the sign of the airport zoom past him.

"Terminal 8, the entire group is heading over there to see her off!"

"Perfect," Levi grins, "Try to stall as long as possible. I'm on my way."

He snaps the phone shut and he pulls in the side of the street. He sees people yanking luggage out of vehicles and saying goodbye. Levi jumps out the car and continues running.

_9 minutes._

"Hey, you can't park your car here!" Someone shouts. Levi ignores them, barreling through the doors and running down the Airport's lobby. Blue eyes wide and cheeks flaming he nearly runs into an attendant. The girl lets out a squeak when he nearly slides right into her.

"Where is Terminal 8?" Levi is demanding.

"Wha—?"

"Terminal 8. Where is it!"

"Oh! That way, just follow the yellow signs!"

He laughs and is moving again, ducking under people and luggage. People are crying out and screaming at him but he is running and he is alive. He sees the signs and turns, stopping only for a second to let Airport security check him through.

5 minutes.

_Please, still be there… please. _

"Attention Passengers, Flight 144 to Rome, Italy has been delayed for an additional 10 minutes…"

Levi lets out a relieved cry as he continues to run.

_"Levi…" Mikasa whispered and he let out a content hum. "I'm glad you didn't ignore me in the cafe…" He grins and lets his hand rub circles on her hip. _

_"Me too…" He responds and she is leaning up to place a kiss by his eyebrow. _

_I love you..._

He is heaving hard air as he slows to a stop, spinning around frantically. Searching when his eyes finally stop short and the same feeling of awe and relief that he felt the first moment he laid eyes on her strikes him in the chest. There she was… in the yellow cardigan and red scarf, standing behind Hanji and Eren and everyone else… and she was smiling a smile he had only seen in his dreams since she closed the door behind her.

She blinked and glanced up as if in slow motion before her eyes glided past the face of her adoptive brother to meet his. Onyx eyes widen in shock and her lips are parting and it was as if someone flipped a switch because suddenly, every gray and dark color burst into bright colors around him and she looked radiant. Absolutely radiant.

She mouthed a word and Levi felt himself push forward, vaguely realizing how the rest of the group had turned to face him - dumbstruck.

_Levi…_

He was panting, his legs and arms screaming, but he dared not stop now. He dared not stop now.

Assured, Levi walked toward her, his blue eyes never leaving her as he closed the space between them. People moved apart for him and he suddenly paused. Just three feet away from her and he could see her eyes glisten with tears and shock.

"I love you." He breathed, voice clear and gasping but so clear everyone let out small gasps around.

Mikasa's eyes widened more, her hand dropping the bag she held at her side.

"I'm an idiot," Levi continued, reeling with energy. "I am an absolute idiot, and I am in love with you. I am in love with all you love, all the friends you laugh with. I loved you since the moment I saw you in that cafe and I shook your hand." Tears fell down her eyes as she stared at him.

"I've loved you every day since then, through every fight and every argument and every stupid disagreement because I realize I have never been more wrong. It took me two weeks to realize that and I am so sorry."

"Levi…" Mikasa breathed and it was the most beautiful thing Levi has ever heard.

"You asked me to tell you the truth, how I felt and what I wanted." He continued, stepping a sure foot nearer to her. "Well, I want you. and I never want to be away from you ever again."

Then he slowly dropped to his knee and Mikasa gasped, and it was as if the entire Airport had been silenced.

"Mikasa Ackerman…" Levi said her name, staring at her, arms open and bleeding heart in his hand. "Will you marry me?"

Tears cascaded down her cheeks, and her hands threw themselves to cover her mouth and her shoulders shook with the force of her tears. She inhaled deeply and Levi waited.

She began to nod, laughing and hiccuping through a sob and it was as if someone ripped the dark gray curtains he had hung over his soul and replaced it with pure and yellow sunlight.

"Yes."

He was flying, standing up rapidly to meet her throwing embrace around his neck. Their lips met in a crash of perfect laughter and the entire group let out a loud cheer, exploding in hurrays and whoops of joy.

Hanji was shouting ecstatic clapping a relieved Eren on the shoulder. Armin and Jean high-fived, Christa and Ymir jumped into each other's arms happily, and Connie and Sasha exchanged happy exclamations, jumping up and down laughing whilst Mike watched with a knowing smirk.

But His eyes never strayed from the soft onyx of her gaze, the pink blush of her cheeks and the yellow of the flower behind her ear. They pulled away only once to stare into each other's eyes, tears leaking from her eyes and staining his cheeks and he is grinning lovingly against her lips.

"Took you long enough," She chided, laughing. Levi smirked before pressing his lips against her again.

"What about Rome?" he asked after a moment of crushing her to his arms.

"Forget Rome." She rolled her eyes only to press her lips tight against his again.

And again when they arrived back at the apartment when Mikasa saw the stars he had pressed to the walls for her. Levi closed the space between their bodies again, and he was tossing and turning with her, laughing and crying and moaning and sighing. Where there had once been gray sky and dank horizons peeling through his window, burned through the glass bright sunlight.

And it was Yellow.

* * *

_Fin_


	9. Song: File 13

I got this song for the requests as a practical joke - but I being ... well me... I decided to make it work. The fast pace music really set up an image of violence and fighting so this is what this baby's got. Enjoy! Read and Review please. More to come. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or the song File 13 by AFI

* * *

** File 13  
**_Summary:  
His eyes were unlike anything human she's ever seen and his body moved with the speed of nothing she's ever witnessed. Still, he looks at her, hand drenched in blood and she feels no fear.__  
__Rated T (17+) language and violence._

* * *

Rain bounced off the plastic of the red umbrella in her hands, pounding a fast beat in her ears as she stared, wide eyed, at the men surrounding her. She searched, frantic for an escape, but all she could see was their leers and the rough leather ropes in their hands.

She grit her teeth, leaning back when one of her feet slipped on a puddle, forcing her against the filthy wall of the alley.

"Don't you dare touch me!" Mikasa growled, trying hard not to fall as she shot vicious glares at the thugs around her. They laughed and Mikasa could feel the dread spread fear through her limbs, paralyzing her. Her hand clenched tight into a fist around the pink handle of her umbrella.

"Look at those eyes," One of them whistled.

"Hey, babe, you sure you can see through those?" Another cracked and the group roared with laughter.

"Drop dead, you sick fuck." Mikasa snarled, sneaking her hand into her purse, desperately searching for her mace. _Shit..._ She had left it at home, but her hand gripped around and found the smooth curve of the pocket knife she had stuffed earlier that morning and she felt a twinge of relief.

They all let out barks of laughter, like hyenas taunting a hissing rabbit.

"Watch out," One of them snickered, grinning with yellow teeth. Mikasa felt a surge of revulsion as he oozed his gaze over her damp body. The summer dress was clinging to her legs and her white cardigan had turned opaque with rainwater. For once she was glad she had left her scarf at home, knowing that the material would not help her escape her predators. "Bunny's got a bite."

Mikasa gritted her teeth and tried to shift into a more threatening stance, but the ground was too slippery and her pink flats offered no traction against the ground beneath her.

"I'll do more than bite if you touch me." She hissed, narrowing her eyes at them, livid. Some of them seemed to hesitate under her fierce gaze, but yellow-mouth took only a few steps forward and he flicked a butterfly knife open, twirling it in his hands.

_Shit. Shit. Shit._

"I've had enough playing games," He sneered at her. "Get her, gents. Boss wants her tonight."

The others laughed before rushing toward her. Mikasa ducked under the swing of one of the big burly one, her umbrella flying in the air when his arm knocked it out of her grip. She quickly threw her palm up, feeling his nose crunch under her hand before kneeing him harshly in the groin.

He let out a high squeak before falling to the ground.

"You bitch!" Another charged and Mikasa tried to pull away but slipped, yet the sudden movement made him trip over her leg and landing head first against the dumpster behind her.

"Enough of this!" And two others jumped at her, one of them grabbing her hair while the other began to rip her white cardigan off. The rain blinded her eyes for a moment as her head was yanked back and Mikasa felt hot pain shot from her scalp and fear bloom rapidly over her chest.

"Help! Someone! Help me!" She shrieked, her panic skyrocketing when she felt a pair of hands rip into her dress and squeeze at her thighs. She let out a cry when she felt those hands grasp at her underwear before a sudden loud crash made the hands pause from taking more of her dignity. There was the sound of a loud thud and an "_OOF!" _before the guy holding her stomach let out a sharp squeal of pain, letting go. Mikasa blinked and frantically looked around, trembling and surprised.

In the dark gray light she could see the short figure of a man, throwing her attacker to the ground before kicking him viciously in the throat. Yellow mouth let out a cry and charged, knife at the ready. The short guy ducked, throwing an arm up to meet yellow-mouth's elbow, before twisting and flipping the thug backwards. The knife flew into the air and her rescuer snatched it, plucking it from the sky as if it were a floating feather.

He turned and flipped the knife, easily and gracefully. In the dark light, it flashed bright silver before he flicked it, letting it rip through the air towards the other thug trying to grab her arms. It stabbed right in the soft muscle of his neck and shoulder with a sickening squelch. Her attacker howled, letting her go and Mikasa stumbled before falling on the ground of the alley. The filthy water splashed beneath her and she scraped her palms, but she could not look away while the other two she had fought charged at the lone man.

She stared in awe as he ducked and spun, kicking one of their legs out from under him before jumping on the man's back. Her rescuer then jumped, throwing a knee up and clipping the other burly guy in the chin and a spurt of blood flew from the big guy's mouth. Yellow mouth was up again and running to attack him from behind, eyes hungry for blood.

"LOOK OUT!" Mikasa heard herself scream and the shorter man sidestepped effortlessly and stuck his foot out. Yellow mouth tripped and landed on his face with a hard groan. In just seconds, the shorter guy was on him, punching him brutally over and over in the face. A flash of lightening lit up the scene, making his eyes glow like that of a beast's.

Mikasa stared, watching him kick and twist and punch and throw when her attackers tried to get up and resume their mad attack. He either dodged or use their force against them, spinning about as if it were no more difficult than dancing. Yellow Mouth tried to rush him again but this time her rescuer was prepared and caught the fist in his palm before twisting and jutting up his other arm to grip into the hook of yellow mouth's elbow. With a fierce and merciless yank, her rescuer pushed until the bone could not stand the force and snapped like a branch. Mikasa winced as yellow mouth screamed in agony only to be silenced by a vicious roundhouse kick to the face and he splashed to the ground, unconscious. Another flash of lightning and a clash of thunder boomed around them, and Mikasa saw with dread fascination the grin spread over the victor's face.

In just short minutes the fight was over.

There was a thin moment of silence, save the rain falling around them and the groans of the beat men. After a while, the shorter guy straightened and kicked yellow mouth's unconscious body in the gut for good measure before moving away.

"Tell your boss, Levi says hey," His voice comes out in a smooth baritone, sharp and taunting as he kicks over another groaning thug before turning and facing Mikasa. His eyes were unlike anything human she's ever seen and his body had moved with the speed of nothing she's ever witnessed. Still, he looks at her, hands drenched in blood and Mikasa realizes... she feels no fear.

Lightning flashed and Mikasa is unable to stop the flinch when she is caught under his sharp and narrow gaze. Yet, she does not recoil when he walks over to her.

"You okay?" He asked, his voice was gentle and low. Such a stark difference from the snide taunts he had thrown at the thugs. Mikasa nodded, swallowing thickly and clenching her hands against the wet concrete. He gave a sigh, before reaching into his leather jacket and pulled out a white handkerchief. His hands - deep red with blood - began to wipe the stains off. When he was satisfied he tossed the cloth into the nearest dumpster before he reached in his pocket. Pulling out another kerchief, Mikasa fumbled to catch it when he tossed it to her before it hit the dirty water.

"You shouldn't be here." He said, casually, as if he didn't just brutally beat up five guys.

"I…was taking a short cut." She replied dumbly, gripping at the cloth and he snorted.

"What's your name?"

"…What's yours?" She retorted, feeling curiosity overtake the fear she knew she should be feeling. He smirks at her instead and walks over to where her red umbrella was thrown by the dumpster.

"If you were paying attention," he spoke, grunting softly as he snatches the umbrella up. Turning, he kicked another groaning thug and made his way back to her. "You would've heard me say it."

"Levi…?" She said softly and he gave her a smirk. Her chest flutters at the way his lips curve. His smile was much different from the leers and lewd grins of her attackers. Different from the grin he had earlier, as if he had truly enjoyed every moment of every beating he administered.

"Rivaille," He finished, taking a mock bow. "At your service."

Mikasa says nothing only staring up at him as he moves closer, lifting the umbrella over her head. The familiar fast rhythm bounced off the plastic and she is able to blink without raindrops from falling in her eyes. He offers her a hand and after a moment of slight hesitation she reaches up and takes it. It is much softer than she had expected and she could still smell the blood on it.

"Mikasa…" She whispered, surprised to notice she was just a bit taller than him, "Ackerman."

"Go home, Mikasa." Levi says, his narrow eyes betraying no warmth in the dark rain. Even so, Mikasa feels a heat in her chest as she stares into his dark blue eyes.

She nods vaguely and he turned the hand he held to place the umbrella in her palm. He was so gentle… curling her fingers around the moist handle carefully.

"Try not to take anymore shortcuts through anymore dark alleys," He chuckled. Mikasa nodded again and after a short moment of silence, Levi turned and began to walk off, kicking one of thugs still groaning on the ground viciously (yet again) before leaving her to stare after him.

"Thank you." Mikasa called out softly, a faint blush staining her cheeks when he lifted his hand to make a quick nonchalant wave, and just like that he was gone.

The sound of the rain was slowing down and before the thugs could come to Mikasa ran off, making sure to step on some fingers as she did and clutching to the kerchief in her hands with a secret smile.

* * *

_Fin_


	10. Song: This Is Gospel

This is the first time I've heard this song, as I don't really listen to Panic! At the Disco but I was so pleasantly surprised! It's a bit of an odd scenario given but nevertheless, I think you guys will enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

**This is** **Gospel  
**_Summary:  
AU. It was a growing tension, like a rubber band being stretched until it couldn't withstand the pressure. All there needed was to be someone to flick the rubber with one word, one movement and then release. The snap was as loud as their surprise, because this was one revelation neither had expected but neither could resist. It was essential, like a prayer, like a gospel.  
Rated: T for some language and mild suggestive themes_

* * *

If there was any chance he could laugh, he would. Because not just ten feet away stood the famed Mikasa Ackerman, One of this generations most promising assassins, donned in a nun's outfit.

So instead, he settled for hiding his growing smirk behind a cup of tea as he watched her place hands that had been trained to kill in silence daintily on her lap as she spoke in hushed tones with two other smiling nuns. Even behind her peaceful smile he could find the irritation lurking beneath her eyes.

"Sister Rivaille," a small deacon boy approached her, and Levi struggled not to lose it right then and there. It had been a bet she had lost quite ungracefully, and for that she was wearing his name on her alias. Still, it's not like he minded - He rather liked the sound of that; Mikasa Rivaille. Not that he would admit it to anyone, even less to the same woman standing in a virgin's get up.

"Father Jacopo is waiting."

_Time to move._ Mikasa smiled and turned to send him a very short glance. Levi sent her a cheeky wink that would earn him a very violent punch when this was all said and done.

"Alright, Hanji." Levi spoke in hushed tones to the mic wrapped around his throat, hidden by his white cravat. "I need eyes on the hallway, ETA 30 seconds."

* * *

She was running now, dodging a large warped pillar wreathed in lilies as she moved. Mikasa glanced at the watch around her wrist that hid the mark her mother had given her as a child.

"Are you in position?" Armin's voice filtered into her ear.

"I need a few more seconds," Mikasa replied, stopping short behind a corner when she heard chatter. She immediately adopted a prayer's pose as she walked by, smiling warmly at the other nuns that passed by speaking in soft voices. They smiled in return and Mikasa had to hold back the smirk that threatened to spill over her lips. So oblivious.

"Mikasa, we need you at the reach point now." Armin was insisting, voice on edge as the weight of the mission pressed upon them.

"Give me a moment, Armin." Mikasa muttered, bursting into a silent sprint after her watch lit up.

"How is it looking, clear?" She asked and there was a tiny pause.

"You've got green lights," Hanji spoke. "Eren, we need those explosives online, now."

"Give me a second," Eren hissed in response and Mikasa rolled her eyes. A soft moan reached her ears and she nearly faltered in a step.

"Jaeger, are you seriously having sex right now?" Levi snapped over the line. A loud moan hit the inside of Mikasa's ear and she joined in a chorus of groans when they heard Eren pant out a chuckle.

"One of the nuns," He said after Mikasa rounded a corner and pressed herself against the side of a stone statue and kicked through a trap door on the wall. Throwing a few glances, Mikasa swooped inside.

"Dude, are you freaking kidding me right now?" Jean sighed, disgusted. Mikasa rolled her eyes, she knew Jean was just saying that to humor her. No doubt he was going to be exchanging high fives with her brother when the mission was over.

"She was getting suspicious," Eren protested but Mikasa could hear the grin in his voice. Idiot.

"Who're you - _Ah, ah! Right there! - _talking to...?" They heard in their ears.

"Don't - _mm, oh -_ worry about, sweetheart." Eren hushed and Mikasa felt her eyebrow twitch, everyone let out another chorus of irritated groan.

"That's why we have sedatives, Jaeger." Levi drawled and she could hear the sound of a screwdriver working into stone from his end.

"Ah, that makes sense…_How's that you like that?_" was Eren's reply followed by a loud groan of approval from the woman he no doubt was screwing in a closet.

"Could you dispose of her now?" Mikasa grunted, not caring to hide the irritation in her voice. "We're trying to get this job done quickly, Eren."

"At least mute your fucking mic, Jaeger." Levi barked after the nun let out a keen squeal of pleasure. A moment later the moans and grunts ceased in their ears and the entire group let out a sigh of begrudging relief.

She was running in the hidden hallways before making her way to the reach point. Levi was there, already removing a slap of round stone against the wall. He regarded her with a curious glance before getting back to work, kicking a suitcase to her as she began to take off her nun's garb. A click and a pleased sigh followed by the closing of a door met their ears just a second later.

"Yeah, I got her taken care of." Eren snickered in return and Mikasa scowled.

"Eren, focus on the fucking job, got it?" Levi barked and Mikasa looked at him, surprised. He didn't move aside from grabbing a pair of explosives and pressing them in the smooth round hole that revealed a vent.

He threw her a sideways glance, casually looking over the exposed skin of her stomach and arms when she yanked the dress off. She felt a familiar thrill rise in her belly as she realized he was appreciatively looking over her muscles and taught skin. He looked away before Mikasa felt another familiar urge grasp her and she did something stupid.

"Got it, yeah. Sorry." Eren apologized. He didn't sound very sorry, though.

"Alright guys, all five targets are heading over to the cathedral. If we can get them to stop at the Vestibule we will leave the rest to Levi and Mikasa."

"I still don't get why I couldn't have been chosen to help Mikasa." Jean grumbled.

"Because she and I work better together," Levi quipped, smirking at Mikasa, making the thrill in her stomach lift to her chest with a giddy feeling.

"Look alive people, target 3 just took an unexpected left turn down the grand Hall." Hanji spoke fast, and all manner of joking and grinning fell.

"Eren!" Mikasa called, tightening the belts she was wrapping around her skin.

"On it! Give me a moment."

"Shit!"

"Eren, focus on the explosives," Hanji ordered. "They still aren't online."

"Are you fucking kidding me, Jaeger?" Levi groaned, shaking his head as he tugged his dress shirt and cravat off. Mikasa tried to keep her own eyes off his sculpted body, the black tank top hugging his skin deliciously. She sighed in relief when Levi was too busy to notice her staring, thinking up ways on how to punish her brother. Normally this would piss her off, but his blunder on the mission could very well jeopardize everything. If they make this out alive, Levi was not going to be the only one punishing Eren.

"Don't worry," Armin spoke, "I've got target 3."

"Armin, do not kill him. We need to dispose of all five targets in the same room, otherwise the plan fails."

Armin was just beginning to affirm the command when a sudden explosion shook the building, Mikasa freezing in her movements as dust fell around them. Levi was suddenly on top of her, bracing her head with his arms. Moments later, they glanced up.

"Hanji," Levi spoke, eyes narrowed darkly. "What the _fuck_ just happened?"

"I don't know." Hanji replied. "Everyone sound off."

"Here," Mikasa spoke. Jean and Eren shortly followed.

"…Where's Armin?" Eren asked, no longer laughing.

"Armin!" Mikasa shouted and her hands found their way to grip at Levi's arms as she stared off to the side, waiting for a response. Nothing.

"Hanji, can you see if he's still alive?"

"His vitals are still good," Hanji replied.

"Where is he?" Levi shot, and there was another pause. Mikasa bit her lip and looked up, meeting Levi's steady gaze. They stared into each other's eyes, waiting.

"_Fuck._" Hanji swore and Mikasa gripped Levi's arm tighter, her nails leaving marks in his skin.

"What is it?" Jean asked.

"We've got Titans." Hanji's voice hit them all like a landslide.

"How many?" Levi asked and Mikasa began to shake, fists clenching on the muscle of his arms, eyes staring into his with a growing fear.

"I count 4." Hanji sighed, "They must've emitted a shortwave emp that knocked Armin's headset, and the cameras on the east side of the cathedral and wing are down."

"Shit." Levi murmured under his breath and he was gripping the side of Mikasa's face with a fierce stare. "I'll find him, Mikasa. Don't worry."

"No," Mikasa hissed. "You are _not_ leaving alone."

"There are four Titans whirling outside the castle now, the mission has been compromised." He shook his head, looking at the hole made by his handiwork. Mikasa felt another fear tighten in her chest.

"I'm not worried about the stupid mission!" Mikasa exclaimed and Levi's eyes widened in surprise. There was a shout and screams began to echo in the hallways and Mikasa could suddenly hear nothing but the beating of her heart in her ears when he looked into her eyes.

_Don't go._ She begged him.

He leaned in, and her breath hitched in her throat. Pressing his forehead against hers, Levi let out a small sigh. It was that tension again. The same one that filled her chest every time she felt him within her personal space, stretching and tightening within her the more she breathed in his musk and felt his skin. It was nearly unbearable.

"Hanji, can you tell me where Armin is?" Mikasa began shaking her head vigorously but Levi's grip on her face stopped her as he looked fiercely in her eyes. There was a fire behind his blue eyes that stilled her, made the pressure and tension in her chest and body tighter - begging for a release of some kind. Mikasa wasn't sure if she was ready to find out. Not like this...

"He was just south of the Vestibule. 12 meters."

"And you're sure he's alive?" Levi asked, letting Mikasa go and finishing on tightening the belts around his hips and waist.

"Yes, but he's not moving." Hanji whistled, no doubt running her hands over her face.

"Where was the explosion?" Eren asked.

"Right next to the cathedral."

"Alright, team," Levi finished adjusting the belts on his side and began to test the triggers of the harness around him. They responded in green light and a soft hiss. "The original mission has compromised. Our current objective is to recover Arlert and blow the entire building. Are our explosives still online?"

"The EMP wave didn't get close enough to touch them," Hanji responded. Levi nodded.

"Good," He turned to Mikasa and offered her a hand. She took it with grim acceptance, her lips stretched into a fine line. "Eren, Jean, focus on changing the charges from gas to the napalm. We've got about 3 minutes before the Titans make their way inside the building and begin to infect what humans are around." He looked at Mikasa before squeezing her hand once and letting go.

"Mikasa, set the charges here to Napalm, after they are hot I want you to take the trigger with you as far as you can and get the hell out of here, after you blow them, make it to the rendezvous point outside Lobelia. If we can stop the advance of these machines here and now we can secure another safe day for the people here of the city."

"What about you?" She whispered, hands clenched into fists at her side.

"I'm going to find Armin."

"No, I'm going with you." Mikasa stated, resolute. Levi's eyes widened before blazing, wild.

"You are following orders, Ackerman. I am not having you within 100 meters close to Titans." He snarled, staring those dark blue eyes right into her own.

"You need back up, Rivaille." Mikasa shot back. There was no way she was backing down.

"I am the only one in the team who has faced off against a group of Titans like these," Levi barked. Another explosion and more screams followed, Mikasa flinched, heart ramming in her chest. "If you come with me you'll only become another hindrance like your friend Arlert."

Mikasa recoiled, stung at his sharp words. Levi gave her a hard stare before turning and heading down the hallway.

"Do as you're told." Levi threw over his shoulder, "I'll see you back at Lobelia."

Another moment of silence spread between them as he began to tighten and secure the gear around his hips, his footsteps echoed the ramming punches of her heart. The space shook with another explosion and the fear and horror of what could happen to him snapped something inside her and Mikasa took a resolute step forward, hoping he could hear her now.

"Promise me!" She shouted and Levi stopped midstep. He turned to look at her, eyes wide and seeking into her gaze as he stared at her. Another bit of dust fell between them. So close… yet so far away.

"Promise you'll come back alive," She repeated, tears were welling in her eyes but Mikasa tried to convince herself it was because of the dust in the air. He took a step, just a slight move to reach her and his eyes are on her lips and Mikasa could feel the tightening tension in her chest grow a sudden yearning for him that she had never felt before.

Another explosion and Levi yanked his mic from around his neck and stormed his way towards her. His hands grabbed the sides of her face and in a swift motion he pulled her forward to slam his lips against hers. There it was, the snap. A rush of something powerful gripped them tight and they both knew. It had started as a subtle change of atmosphere between them, a sudden revelation that threw itself at them with the force of a train.

Mikasa pressed herself tight against him, lips pressing and gliding over his as her tongue tasted and felt him without disturbance, hating how this first kiss could be their very last. It was a foolish thing, how they had managed to deny the feelings this one kissed exposed to them. And before she could truly memorize his taste, he was ripping himself away and sprinting in the other direction.

_If you love me, _His eyes had said before he took off. _Let me go._

With a strangled sob, Mikasa threw herself towards the charges and began to flick buttons and switches before switching the power to a single hand charge. She tried to still the tears cascading down her eyes as she finished the job and began running off in the opposite direction. Fear leaving a hollow hole in her stomach.

—-

His heart was bursting fast rhythms in his ears as Levi shot himself in the air, the maneuver gear pushing up high into the painted ceiling as he flew past.

He could already see torn and bloody bodies ripped into the once pale linoleum, staining carpets and tiles a stark red.

He listened to instructions from Hanji with a blank mind, trying viciously to keep Mikasa's yearning gaze out of his mind's eye. Trying so hard to ignore how perfect her lips had fit against his own and he kicked himself brutally for not seizing so many opportunities to kiss her in the past.

_In truth… she never was mine. _

He spun out of the way when one of the walls caved. His hands slammed into the large sheaths at his sides, clicking when the thin blades made contact and Levi could feel the charge of energy and electricity pulse through the metal. He let out a harsh cry when he saw one the dark machines twist through the opening of the wall.

Its eyes were red and calculating. A mixture between machine and beast and man. It's maw was salivating clear acid as it saw him. Levi squeezed the trigger of his swords and he began to spin, remembering how it had been when he had fought in the army. His body remembered very well and in seconds the head of the Titan fell to the ground with a sick thud. Levi's swords hissed with power and acidic blood, some of it splashed on his face but he ignored it, feeling the heat give him clarity.

He felled two more Titans before arriving at the area Hanji had told him. Sure enough he saw Armin cast under rubble, his forehead was stained red with blood and his arm was bent in a crooked angle.

"Levi! We've got 6 more incoming!" Hanji shouted in his ear and Levi swore under his breath before switching the charge of his swords. The sparked loudly and he swung them down, slicing the rubble around Armin like butter.

"I've got Arlert. He's alive, but unconscious. How are those charges?"

"All set to go. Waiting on your order." Eren spoke.

"Set them to blow in five minutes." Levi commanded.

"Levi!" Jean exclaimed in surprise. Levi clenched his eyes shut for a moment.

"Just fucking do it! I'm going now." Levi quickly sheathed on of his swords, ignoring the other bodies strewn on the ground. He grabbed Armin by the collar, throwing the boy over his shoulder and wincing when he heard a loud crack from the kid's arm. He ignored it and clicked a trigger and his body was flying through the air, but burdened by the weight of the kid.

He spun and rose and flew, this time ignoring the other Titans around him and the screams of people crying as they lunged and bit into their flesh. In the distance he could her the sound of a choir, singing despite the chaos around them and he gnashed his teeth, livid. Idiots. Preferring to sing when they should be running for their lives.

He spun around again and swooped over a fallen pillar, his eyes widening when he caught the fallen body of one of the targets. _Well… at least some of them did die. _

"Levi, how close are you?" Hanji was asking and he grunted.

"Tch." He let out when he swung to another part of the large castle, he could already see the escape route and allowed himself a moment of relief.

When a large mechanical hand snatched his body out of the air, Armin flying through the space before crashing through a window. Levi only had enough to charge his swords before he was thrown inside the wide mouth of a Titan. The electricity spread over, shocking and biting into his skin and he pressed another trigger, the Titan's barbed tongue slicing into his knees.

The gas gave him the force he needed to spin and his swords sliced against acid and metal and flesh. The titan let out a howl that nearly shattered his eardrums but Levi was out, flying and filthy and alive.

"Levi!" He heard in his ear and he winced.

"Shut UP!" He snarled and he propelled himself forward, gasoline and acid burning in his nostrils. He only had a few seconds left, he knew. Levi pressed the trigger a little tighter now before his body was thrust through the gaping open window just as the explosion of the charges blew and knocked out the mic in his neck and ears and he was falling into darkness.

The memory of Mikasa's lips warmed something in his chest as his body fell through the air and Levi allowed himself a rare moment… he smiled.

The only sound he heard was the sound of his heartbeat thrumming in his ears before he was enveloped in cold water of the river beneath him.

* * *

_Fin_

_not sure how I feel about this ending… but If I decide to change it I'll be sure to update and alternate version. :P_


	11. Song: Broken

_Broken - by Lifehouse. _  
_**WARNING: This chapter may cause triggers as it contains suggestion of self-harm. If you are easily triggered, DON'T READ. Your discretion is advised.**_

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing.

* * *

**Broken**  
_summary:  
Even Humanity's Strongest has it's breaking point. How he's lasted this long, he does not know... maybe it was because even after he was shattering, she was reaching and hoisting him up. Even now... even now.  
Rated T for language, violence and possible self harm triggers._

* * *

Glass was spread everywhere, stabbing deep into the wood and cloth and paper that scattered in the room. Silence thrummed in the office, a constant and breathing entity. He had watched as beads and drips of crimson rolled down his palms, staining his wrists and rolled up cuffs with something akin to disinterested fascination. If that were even a way to describe how he watched his life drip bit by bit on the floor beneath him.

He sat, quiet. Not uttering a word at all as he stared at the broken skin of his hands. The return from the capital had been wrecked in tears and taking the shouts of the crowd around them.

People had shouted and cried and wailed and cursed them as the corp returned back to it's castle, tails between their legs.

Here they were... risking everything for humanity while humanity mocked them and spat at them, hissing like wild dogs while they bled and lost men and women worth more than all the gold the merchants could scramble together.

While Erwin convinced the Brass to allow them to continue with their new objective to hunt for titan hybrids, Levi had to stand and take people's screams as his men helped clear up rubble and bodies from the streets of the city. Armin had broken down crying when they removed a large slab of stone off a six year old boy. All the while, Levi stood, stoic and blinking when a woman rushed up to him screaming and asking why this happened while her husband pulled her away and spat in his face.

He just stood there and took it, raising a hand when Kirschstein had let out a shout of indignation. The soldiers looked away after Levi gave the order to keep going, the spit still staining his face.

He had turned away, and with a handkerchief wiped the saliva off his face, pointedly ignoring the way _she_ stared after him, a torn expression on her usually flat stare.

The days had passed and when they returned, Levi secluded himself to his office locking the door and proceeding to let himself finish some reports. He thought he had it under control... but suddenly tears were dripping into the papers he had been busy scribbling on, staining through and splotching the ink. He had stared, wide eyed and incredulous at the clear drops of salt on the paper. His grip on his pen tightened and his teeth clenched down hard.

It was all downhill from there.

Before he could stop himself, the pen had been snapped in half and the documents were flying. The lamp thrown violently out a window, the shattering glass spreading everywhere. But he couldn't stop then. Images of fallen bodies of civilians, friends, comrades and people he had shared and trusted with his life flashed in his mind's eye. The tears soon stopped as he began to turn the rest of his agony into violence, and Levi was suddenly wishing there was a legion of Titans outside his window, because he wanted nothing more than to tear them apart.

_Tear so many apart._

Slaughter and feel their steaming blood against his skin.

His desk upturned and chairs strewn precariously around, Levi grabbed one and threw it hard against the wall. It snapped loudly and breathing hard he grabbed some of the porcelain china he had been given by Petra for his birthday, and send it crashing on that same wall.

He continued this until he collapsed, sitting on the only chair he hadn't trashed. It was on it's side but he didn't care for sitting on cushions now, the china had cut up his hands and fingers, making big drops of blood spill over the stone, like morbid art. He opened and closed his hands, watching as the wounds opened and closed painfully, dripping more and more red.

The silence that followed nearly swallowed him whole and not for the first time did Levi wonder what the hell he was doing.

There was a gentle knock at his door and Levi let out a heavy sigh, staring at the clotting wounds in his hands with derision.

"Come in..." He began but stopped remembering he had locked the door. Whoever was knocking, obviously, didn't care because he heard the familiar clicking of metal against metal and a flick. Picking a lock... how saintlike...

The door swung open slowly, and in the dying light of the sunset Levi saw a red scarf before looking away scoffing.

"What do you want." He demanded, tone as dead as he felt inside.

"I heard crashes..." She stated, and a bubble of dark amusement rose sharply inside him. He began with a snort before it evolved into a chuckle and then into a dark cackle, laughing more to himself and unable to stop it's intensity. Everything was breaking around him. Levi didn't know why but he couldn't stop until his laughter had turned into wheezing chuckles. Still she didn't move, just waited for his manic laugh to die down.

"I am so glad..." He said sardonically through another bubble of hysteria. "That your sense of hearing has not been impaired, Ackerman."

"Corporal..." She began and like a branch snapping the rage came back full throttle.

"_Don't you dare call me that, Ackerman_." Levi snarled viciously, bleeding hands clenching tight and the pain of his wounds cracking open was a welcome feeling. She let out a choked breath and remained silent. Several moments passed in tense silence, Levi wondered if she had gone..._  
_

"Levi..." Stiffening at the sound of his name falling from _her_ lips, Levi felt his eyes snap open from their half-lidded stare. Slowly, he turned to face her to see she had moved closer to him, her face was a solemn picture of beauty and something in her eyes...the way she was looking at him...

"_What do you want_." He ground out, feeling the fury of earlier begin to overwhelm him and suddenly he wanted to strangle her. A sharp intake of breath was sucked into her mouth, staring at his wild gaze with something more than concern.

"I wanted to see you." She said, as if it was obvious. So obvious. Levi was out of his chair, flying at her.

Mikasa let out a short exclamation when his bleeding hand grabbed onto her red scarf, blood staining the cloth where he gripped it before he whirled her around and slammed her hard against the nearest wall. She groaned, head hitting the stone hard but Levi stared hard into her eyes, holding back from squeezing her throat until she stopped writhing for life.

"Why would you _want_ to even _get close to me_?" He hissed, pressing against her, aggressive and livid. "I thought you _hated_ me, Ackerman," he sneered, spit flying from his mouth and landing on her lower lip as she stared at him, wide eyed and silent.

"I thought you wanted to exact revenge on me for hurting your precious Eren," He snorted, pressing his hand tighter around her scarf, lifting her higher. "You made that very _fucking_ clear that you wanted nothing more than _put me in my place_. Isn't that right? Well, here I am, Ackerman. Go ahead and hit me. Put me in my place. Do _something_ for yourself for once in your fucking life."

Mikasa's eyes are wide as she stared at him, hardly breathing under his intense gaze. Her lack of response only egged him on, kindling the fire in his chest and pushing tighter against her body. Tighter against her throat where he could feel her speeding pulse.

"_Do it!_" He roared. He felt something in his throat strain at the force of his cry. She winced, blinking furiously before turning those dark onyx eyes into his breaking blues.

"...Levi..." Mikasa whispered instead and something in him is bending and slowly breaking. He ducks his head, his hold on her scarf going limp before he punched the wall next to her face. Recoiling, Mikasa pulls enough away from his fist but makes no movement to run.

"What do you _want from me!?_" Levi cried, pleading, begging, clenching his eyes shut as he felt his carefully built walls shatter around him.

Soft hands are grabbing his hands and Levi let his muscles tense, prepared to attack to flee, to do anything. But there is a sound he was not expecting and his eyes are widening in shock... Because she is _ripping_ two thin strips from her scarf. He stares, speechless as she tenderly wraps his bleeding hands, and then lifted her chin to meet his gaze.

"I don't want anything from you..." She murmured softly. Whatever sunlight remained was hitting the side of her face, making her eyes stand out as the light filtered through them. Levi feels his breath catch in his chest.

"I just want to tell you... you are not alone."

Those words deflate him, all his rage and hatred and violence and need to rip something to shreds bleeding out from his hands and into the red material tied around his hands. His knees buckle and he's falling forward and Mikasa swiftly caught him, wrapping her arms tight around his waist as he lets out a strangled sob.

The two fall to their knees, wood and paper crunching under their weight but neither care. She is pressing her face tight against the crook of his shoulder and neck as she squeezes him and Levi allows himself to shatter.

How could he forget?

Humanity's Strongest was no longer a title for him to bear alone... now he had someone who stood next to him, to bear that weight along with him. And as he felt her own tears burn into his skin he realized that she was broken too and he felt his own hands rise to press against her back and curl into her hair and she's weeping with him. Because she was also human and so wretchedly broken as well.

Broken... but still strong.

Still strong.

* * *

_Fin_


	12. Song: Losing Your Memory

_Song: Losing your Memory by Ryan Star.  
(complimenting song: Berlin by The Piano Guys.)_

_Alright this one is risky. Mainly because this song reminds me of a situation I had to hold a friend up through - it was tough because I saw this firsthand and so I have an inclination on how certain diseases tear through people's lives. If you have been affected by the effects of Huntington's disease or know of someone who has and are not emotionally ready to read something that contains this and expresses incidents of the disease - Please. Do not read this. Your discretion is advised. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything._

* * *

**Losing Your Memory  
**_Summary: He had nothing in his life that changed. He worked in a Mental Health Clinic. He never knew why. He just worked there. Maybe it was because it helped him... helped being away from easily pissed off normal people and close to people who felt so powerfully before not feeling at all. He swore none of it affected him. Until he met her.  
(Levimika with a bit of jeankasa)_

_Rated T (+18) for language, soft smut, and possible emotional triggers. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED._

* * *

"Erd," it was a soft call, drowning in nostalgia. Levi glanced up from the book in his hands, the brown haired beauty stood ahead of him. Her hand was picking at her wrist, nail raking against already welled skin. Levi offered her a small comforting smile.

"I'm not Erd, Leela. Are you thirsty?" He asked, placing the paperback down and standing up slowly. She was shaking her head vigorously, her raggedy hair sticking to the corners of her mouth.

"Erd, I saw a butterfly." She whispered, smiling brightly but Levi felt his lips tighten. Her eyes looked back at him, empty and agonized.

"That's lovely, Lee..." Levi said, placing his hands gently to her shoulders and slowly leading her to the cafeteria, smiling at other the other residents as he did so.

"Levi," he felt a tap on his shoulder and he frowned.

"Not now, Sammy," Levi sighed, not having to turn his head to face the bubbly expression of the twenty-eight year old.

"Brooo," Sammy groaned, bouncing around him excitedly. "I heard the news, man. Why didn't you tell me?"

"What news is that?" Levi humored him, giving Leela one last smile as she waved at him and walked slowly to the barred window. She froze and returned to the spot Leela had called her own. Levi turned to face the spiky haired resident, sighing when he spotted the toothpick in the kid's mouth.

"That we're getting a smokin' hotty in this dank little hole we call a clinic, dawg!" Samuel whispered, squealing as he finished. Levi snatched the toothpick out the kid's mouth before walking out the cafeteria.

Samuel continued, used to Levi's reaction and taking out another toothpick from the side of his pocket-less pants.

"Have you been talking to Gunther?" Levi asked, shaking his head.

"Hell yeah I've been talking to Gunther," Samuel affirmed, throwing his arms out. "Who was talking to Christa who heard it from Doctor Zoe herself!" He gave a smug grin, obviously pleased his news actually held some merit. Levi turned a corner, snorting.

"I don't know the exact details, Sam," Levi explained as he headed back to his chair behind the reception desk. Sam threw himself on the counter, sitting up before wilting and jumping down at Levi's sharp glare.

"But we _are_ getting a new resident, right?" Samuel asked, bright eyes wide as he leaned over the counter and crossing into Levi's space. "Do you know her name? What she looks like?"

Levi heaved a sigh before leaning back on his chair, looking at Sam's eager expression flatly.

"I will give you only her name," Levi gave in and Samuel let out a giggle of excitement.

"Well go on," Sam urged.

"You just don't know when to quit," Levi chuckled. Sam shrugged before waiting, his leg was shaking as he tried to be patient.

"Come on, man. What's her name?"

Levi reached over his desk and pulled a file from a thin rack next to his computer monitor before opening it. The picture of a young woman with short hair, half falling into her face and half not. Her name stood at the top of the picture and Levi let the name from his lips, unknowing how his little world was going to change the moment he did.

"Mikasa..." Levi said. "Mikasa Ackerman."

* * *

"Our newest resident will be taking room 15."

"That's right across from the reception desk."

"I know where room 15 is, dumbass."

"Jean, Levi, settle down."

"...Did you just stick your tongue out at me, Kirschstein?"

"_Anyway_," glares shot through the space like daggers. "If you haven't heard yet, her name is Mikasa Ackerman and she's-"

"Wait... Ackerman? As in Grisha Jeager's adopted kid?"

"The level of attention you pay is astounding us all, Kirschstein."

"You know what, Levi, you can go fu-"

"Yes, Jean. Dr. Jeager's adopted daughter. She's being admitted by her father and mother. They've requested we keep her on suicide watch as she's been suffering from depression and severe mood swings."

"What does she suffer from?"

"Wow..."

"YOU WANNA GO, SHORT-"

"Not another word from you, Jean! Levi, quit provoking him."

Levi smirked as he casually ignored how Jean flipped him off.

"She has Huntington's. Early onset. She's being sent here because Doctor Hanji has been experimenting with what could be a breakthrough medicine to treat it. Levi, Jean, you'll be her immediate caretakers for these first few weeks."

"Do I _have_ to work with the short-stop?"

"Don't worry, Kirschstein. I have a stool container under my desk, just in case."

"...Why would you-just in case what?" _This was too easy._

"Just in case you start spouting shit out of your mouth due to your severe brain constipation."

It took three of the security guards to hold back Jean from jumping on Levi. The shorter man's smirk widened as Jean roared, reaching and lunging to punch him in the face. Director Erwin sighed as he leaned back, Doctor Hanji chuckled and shook her head, amused.

"Alright, back to work."

* * *

The first time Levi saw her he had been surprised. He had expected her to look very much like the other residents. With dry and brittle hair from the medicines, pale skin and far off stare.

Instead, Mikasa Ackerman met eyes gaze, evenly and with skin that - while pale and fair - still held a healthy glow. Her hair glistened brilliantly even under the soothing white lights of the care-center and she was dressed modestly, even fashionably.

"You must be Miss Ackerman," Jean greeted, and Levi actually rolled his eyes. Leave it to the moron to turn on the charm when it was not welcome.

"Mikasa," She corrected, unaffected by his "dashing good looks" and "smooth voice". Jean smiled, extending a hand and jutting his hip to the side.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mikasa. The name's Jean. Jean Kirschstein." Jean said, low and full of himself. "And I am always around if you should ever need me for anything."

"Don't worry about him," Levi spoke as he walked around the towering figure of his co-worker. "He's suffering from early onset Stupidity."

Mikasa smiled, her lips perking up lightly from behind the red scarf around her neck. Jean shot him an irritated glare. Levi inwardly smirked as he took her bag from her hands and lead smoothly away from the glaring idiot.

"I never got your name," She muttered softly as they walked down the hall and headed towards the reception desk.

"Levi." He replied, not bothering to meet her eyes as he walked ahead.

"...That's a nice name," She spoke again and he nearly faltered in a step.

"...Thank you... Mikasa." He said, this time turning to meet her gaze. She smiled at him again and while she did so with her mouth her eyes were dark and mirthless. The file with her information said she was seventeen... but the way she looked ahead was haunted, as if she had seen too much. As if she had aged twenty years more and Levi wondered exactly what her demons were. And if she would be able to defeat them.

"Here we are," He said as he stopped ahead of a door and she looked at it.

"Room 15..." She murmured and Levi reached into the pocket of his scrubs and pulled out a key. Unlocking the door her lead her in to the small room, two cots pressed against the walls and covered in monochromatic green blankets.

"Jean will be bringing in your new clothes and schedule," Levi spoke as he placed her bag on the mattress to the left. She went ahead and sat on the right one, watching him curiously.

"He can give you the tour after you put your things away and get settled."

"Sorry..." She spoke up, earning her his attention. "But.. can you give me the tour instead?"

Levi straightened up, startled and waited to see if she would take back her request. She didn't.

"Yeah, I can." He answered and she smiled again, that same smile that never reached her eyes. She lifted a hand and ran her fingers through the scarlet material and Levi bit his lip.

"Sorry," He says and she looks back up at him. "But I'm going to have to take your scarf."

Her hand is clutching the material tight now and her smile is gone. Levi sighed before sitting on the mattress with her things.

"Now that you are a resident," Levi spoke, soft and adapting the soothing voice he usually reserved for the more erratic residents. "You have to abide by certain rules. Unfortunately, while you do have special privileges that grant you more freedoms than the others here... we still have to keep certain things away. For safety."

Mikasa looked down, her hand gave a short twitch and she was biting her lip. Levi waited, calmly.

"I don't have to wear it..." She murmured. "I'll keep it in a drawer."

"Mikasa," He says and she flinches. Levi stops and sighs, he had hoped this wouldn't get difficult. "I can't let you keep it."

And there was suddenly a flash in her eyes of such pure and unadulterated emotion that surprised him when she looked at him and Levi felt his breath glue itself to his throat. But just as quickly as it came it was gone and she looked back down. Resigned she began to tug the material from around her neck before pushing it toward him.

He took it gently and slowly as her grip loosened.

"Please don't throw it away!" She begged him, and Levi was surprised to see tears well in her eyes and he nodded.

"I won't." He said and she gave him another tight-lipped smile before she turned away and laid down on the mattress. Levi watched her silent figure for a moment before turning and walking out the door. When he reached his desk he pulled open the nearest drawer open and after folding the red scarf into a neat square, placed it in next to his books.

* * *

She is interesting. Like a strange symbol Levi would see marking the page of a chapter in one of his books. Like the photographed ridges of an extreme close up of a human iris, pictures that had fascinated him back when he was still with Petra, and her pictures hung on a clothesline and she had whispered sweet nothings in his ear.

There were days where she would just sit on her bed, rapping her fingers in concentrated patterns on one of the books he lent her. There were other days where Levi would walk in through her door and he'd find her doing handstands against a wall, shirt fallen to cover her face and expose a black bra and firm tummy.

After two weeks her presence had slowly faded to the background of everyone's interest. She was quiet and kept very much to herself. She ate by herself even though Samuel would insist on sitting at her side.

Levi would watch, wondering if he would catch a flicker of irritation as Samuel exploded with stories he heard and wild ideas of how monkeys in Africa would soon grow more intelligent than humans one day. But Mikasa's face was as blank as a white slate and she would only nod and hum little sounds of acknowledgement when Samuel asked her a more direct question.

After three weeks, Levi realized she had been memorizing the names of her fellow residents. He found this out after he lead her to the cafeteria and she greeted each and everyone of the nurses and patients by name.

There had been times when, at night, she would suddenly wake up and start crying and Levi would sigh as he heard her sobs through the door. He left her alone mostly, knocking gently on her door before leaving quietly and heading home - hoping at least she realized he heard her, and that he didn't mind.

After a month since she had arrived, Hanji had dropped by and met her officially. Her eyes had widened for a moment when the eccentric doctor had taken her hands firmly and told her very seriously how she was going to make sure Mikasa would 'be out in no time'.

Levi saw a flicker of hope burn through her usually empty dark eyes, and he bit his tongue when he realized how his heart had quickened when she smiled a tiny smile and it reached through her eyes. He had never realized it before - or maybe he did but just didn't take notice - but Mikasa Ackerman was actually very... _pretty_.

Suddenly, on the moments he walked in on her doing handstands his heart would leap to his throat when he saw her slim figure and perky breasts.

"You okay, Levi?" She would ask breathless, cheeks flushed pink from being upside down. The sight and sound of her like that sent his heart bursting at fifty miles per hour and he would clear his throat before telling her everything was fine and that it was time for her medication.

After six weeks in, Levi found himself unable to stop talking to her because she was so unexpectedly lively and it surprised him.

She would smile more, her lips exposing pretty white teeth and twinkling in her gray eyes. Her words had exposed a strange humor that Jean had found unable to return even though Levi would snicker and grin behind a hand.

"Mikasa, you alright? I heard a loud crash."

"It's okay, Jean. I just farted, is all."

"Wait...you _what_?"

"Don't worry about it."

And then she would walk past him and glance at Levi while his shoulders shook and he covered his hand. Jean looked back at her, uncertain and disgusted. She would smile a little brighter after that and Levi would find his heart would give a little twist whenever she did.

But then... there were moments where she would just sit in her room. Door open, pale clothes hanging off her shoulders and she would stare out her high barred window and the soft sunlight would bounce off her hair and skin in an ethereal glow. It took Samuel waving his hand in front of his eyes - utterly clueless - to snap him back to reality and Levi would look at him and wonder why he couldn't hear anything the kid was saying and why his eyes kept flicking over to her open door and stare at her still frame.

Seeing her sitting like that... it made Levi want to paint, to draw and _capture her._

After that... when she cried at night, he did more than knock gently. He stood, staring at the door just inches away and pressing his forehead against its metal silently as she wept on the other side and he wished he could open the door so she would stop and smile instead.

Mikasa would approach him and take the book in his hands and just stare in his eyes until he stopped feeling uncomfortable and just stared back.

Oh, how he would stare back.

* * *

"How is the medication?" Hanji would ask as Mikasa sat on her bed, silently allowing the doctor to run her hands over her limbs and testing her motor reflexes. Levi would stand by, much to Jean's disappointment, prepared for anything as was usual per every doctor visit.

"It's alright," Mikasa would reply and began to touch her fingertips to her thumbs as per Hanji's demonstrative request. She would let out a big sigh and Levi would pretend to not notice how her gaze would jump from him to the floor like a nervous hummingbird.

"...Mikasa, touch your fingers to your thumbs again." Hanji requested, her face going very still as she watched. Levi straightened a bit more and watched, trying to find what Hanji was seeing and there was a flash of worry that burned a shadow over her eyes.

Hanji let out a slow sigh after Mikasa placed her hands back on her lap again.

"What is it?" Levi didn't know he had said it until Mikasa looked at him, an unknown emotion behind those dark eyes.

"Mikasa," Hanji sighed again, "The time it takes you to touch your fingers to your thumbs has... well it's slowed down. I'm going to need to take you to take a few more tests to see if this is a side effect of the new medication..." she trailed off.

"Or..." Mikasa breathed.

"Or you are getting worse." Hanji replied and Levi could see plain as day the way the light faded from her eyes and it was like there was a pressure in his chest then. "I'll call the lab today and see if we can have you come down tomorrow. I don't want to make any assumptions before we have all the data...Hey," Hanji placed a gentle finger under Mikasa's chin.

"Don't worry. We're going to get you better."

But there was a waver in her voice that Levi caught, a teeny-tiny hitch in the back of the word 'better' that turned that weight into a hole.

Mikasa nodded and Hanji left.

* * *

Three months later Mikasa's arms started twitching, her hand knocking over her glass of water as she reached for it and Levi met her shocked gaze over a sea of chairs and people and after that she stopped smiling.

At night she would cry and Levi would stand outside her door, his hand clutching his car keys until the metal would bite harsh into his hands and he would have to blame clumsiness when she asked why he had another band-aid on his palms.

So, Levi walked away silently, cursing the night for giving her nightmares when he knew she deserved peaceful dreams.

Five days after she spilled her cup, Levi walked in on her and Jean. Her body was pressed tight against his, lips crushing over Jean's moaning mouth and his hands were under her shirt and unsnapping her bra. It was as if someone had flipped a switch in his chest and a pure absolute and unadulterated vicious rage burned set fire to his blood. Levi had never felt more anger like that than he had ever felt in his life.

"_What the **fuck** are you doing, Kirschstein_," Levi hissed, spitting venom and acid through a hot tongue. The rage was so strong and violent that it made his words drip like boiling oil and Mikasa was off Jean body as if the heat between all of them had burned her.

"Oh, Levi," Jean jerked his chin up, cheeks flushed and lips bruised and twitching with a hidden smirk. Levi had never really cared for Jean aside from teasing the easily angered fool, but today Levi wanted to make those bruised lips bleed. "I was just telling Mikasa how there was a new lunch-"

"How long." Levi growled, his face flat save the boiling rage rolling behind blue eyes.

"How long...what?" Jean asked, pointing his mouth innocently and Mikasa was turning away, hiding her eyes behind dark hair and her shaky fingers struggled to latch the clasp of the bra on her back.

"How long do you think you would survive on the streets?" Levi clarified, staring icily into his eyes. The man may be taller but at his words he nearly cowered under Levi's harsh stare.

"Because I can cover your ass for your tardiness but I sure as hell won't cover your ass for this. And if you still don't get it I will clear it up a bit more," Levi took a step forward and relished how Jean leaned away. Lowering his voice Levi hissed, "You touch her again and I will see you _burn_."

Jean was nodding, pale under Levi's vicious glower before mumbling something and walked hurriedly out of the room.

Mikasa had stopped to stare at him as Jean left and when Levi turned his eyes on her she turned away, her hands flying up behind her to try to clasp the bra.

Levi had half a mind to just leave her there struggling but her hands were shaking too much and the door was slowly closing. With a sigh, Levi stepped closer and slid his hands under hers, fingers brushing against the sensitive skin of her back. She froze, muscles tightening under smooth and pale skin as she straightened and Levi could hear the air stop in her throat.

Oh so slowly, Levi grabbed the two ends of her black brassier and tugged them together, her skin brushing hot and shivering against his cool fingers as he did so. Once the hooks gripped to the metal of the undergarment he let go but his hands lingered for a moment. He glanced down to see her hands were clenched tight and trembling at her sides.

Levi let out another slow sigh, his breath caressing what little exposed skin her hair covered on her neck. Gently, he grabbed the course material of her shirt and tugged it down, letting it slide smoothly down warm flesh and over the poking vertebrae of her spine before falling at her hips.

He pulled away and waited as her head turned, her dark charcoal eyes blinking wide as he stared at her. At this point his rage had dissipated, like smoke in the breeze, leaving nothing but a treacherous sadness. Even he didn't understand why it was there.

But she saw it and her pupils tightened at his expression before he gave her a curt nod and walked out the room, the door hissing as he pulled it shut with a sharp _thunk_.

After that she had refused to come out her room for three days and Levi let another nurse take her food in, snapping a feral glare whenever Jean even neared the door of Mikasa's room.

Those three nights Levi had walked from his desk and straight out the gate without so much as a glance at the silent door. But his step would falter when he would hear a small sob through the walls. Clenching his car keys in his hand, Levi straightened his shoulders and walked out - feeling more miserable than he knew he should with every step.

The fourth day Levi walked in to work to see a group of nurses and even a couple of security guards wrapped around the door of her room. There was a loud crash and he felt a fierce panicked fear grip him as he approached.

Through the bodies of his co-workers, Levi could hear her hysterical babbling as Dr. Hanji spoke soothingly. He dumped his bag against the counter and pushed through the guards but regretted it in an instant. He felt his heart drop to his feet when he saw the blood on her hands and forearms.

"You _PROMISED ME_!" Mikasa was shrieking, eyes wide and wild as she pressed herself tight against the corner above her bed. "You promised me the shaking and trembling would end! You promised me you'd make me better but I forgot! For ten whole minutes I couldn't remember the name of my own brother, Hanji! I forgot! I FORGOT!"

Levi watched, horrified when he saw the red staining her teeth and lips. Levi realized with growing dread the bleeding marks on her arms were bite wounds. She had tried to bite her hands to try to stop them shaking. Mikasa snapped her hands up and down, trying to get the violent movement to shake the trembling from her fingers in vain. The blood on her jerking hands slapped the wall and tangled sheets in tiny sprays and she pressed those hands against her face, red staining her cheeks and nose. Red mingled with her tears and sweat.

"I know, Mikasa," Hanji said softly, her hands up in a surrendering and pleading gesture. "I know what I said and I am working on it as fast as I can-"

"_YOU SAID THAT TWO MONTHS AGO_!" Mikasa screeched, spiting red saliva. There was so much red. Levi needed to do something... he needed to reach her.

"Mikasa," Levi called and she froze, her wild eyes slamming on him with a force that yanked the air from his lungs. What had happened? Levi couldn't shake the feeling of dread in his chest, and he watched as her breathing slowed down and tears were spilling down in her eyes like a dam had burst inside her.

"Don't look at me," She whispered, meek and afraid. Levi could feel his heart break at the sound. Shuddering, bloodstained hands clutched around her chest and Mikasa sunk down on the tangled sheets of her bed, sobbing. Levi moved forward, Hanji stepped out of the way as he did and he caught her in his arms as she broke down.

"Please don't look at me," She begged, her face pressed tight in the crook of his shoulder and neck. Her hands were gripped onto his scrubs and he could feel the heat and damp of the blood still dripping from her wounds. He didn't care about how he would have to wash the cloth with cold water and use a specific detergent. All he cared about was silently apologizing in her ear as she begged him over and over to stop looking at her.

Someone walked closer and Levi held her tight against him as the pressed a syringe into her neck and she was falling asleep on him. Mikasa tried to stay awake, trying to fight the effect of the sedative in her blood, but all she could muster was pressing her lips against his neck before crumbling and Levi told himself that it was not a kiss. It was not a kiss.

It was not a kiss.

-.-.-

"We're keeping her in solitary until we can establish the cause for the hysteria." Erwin announced as he looked over the faces of the nurses around him. Hanji stood at his side, a dark look over her glasses.

"It could've been the drugs," Jean offered and Levi nearly groaned at his comment.

"Are you saying the medicine I prescribed did this to her, Kirschstein?" Hanji asked slowly, voice dipped in danger and carefully checked rage. Jean wilted.

"What about her previous prescriptions?" Erwin asked.

"Impossible, the tests I made for those medications were negative for anything that would've tipped her into a fit that bad. Besides, I took her off those drugs a month ago." Hanji waved a hand, flippantly as she thought hard.

"There's no actual possible chance she could be taking anything else right?" Erwin asked, turning a grave look over to the redhead.

"What medication did you give to her this morning?" Levi asked, turning a critical eye over to Christa and Gunther, the resident pharmacists.

"Tetrabenazine, for the twitching and movements but the side effects for that are no worse than drowsiness and restlessness." Gunther replied.

"Hold on...you gave her Tetrabenazine?!" Hanji looked ready to commit a murder. Erwin sighed and rubbed a hand down his face, a tense hush spreading in the office.

"It was on the list of her medication...?" Christa squeaked, face flushing a bright red under Hanji's furious stare. Gunther gulped, eyes shifting nervously around. Levi swore he felt a muscle twitch in his jaw at the rising anger that was growing in his stomach.

"You idiot!" Hanji roared before nearly jumping over Erwin's desk, mouth turned into a vicious snarl as she nearly attacked the blonde nurse. "Tetrabenazine can also cause insomnia and restlessness and now added with the side effects of the other medication I was administering to her - it's caused her to nearly completely chew her arms off! Who authorized you to give her that medication?! Where's the documentation stating to give her Tetrabenazine?!"

Levi's eyebrows rose as she grabbed Christa around the collar and yanking the short squeaking girl from her chair and millimeters from her face. "_Where. is. the. documentation?_" Hanji ground out.

Christa whimpered, frozen under Hanji's wrath as Gunther stood, "I'll go bring it."

"The _fuck_ you are," Hanji laughed humorlessly, "I'll go get it myself, because this kind of pharmaceutical blunder is good enough to have the two of your fecal-stuffed craniums thrown out of ever medical facility in this side of the planet!" Hanji tossed the now crying Christa back on her chair before bulldozing her way out of the office, swearing violently as she all but shoved Gunther out into the hall.

"Levi..." Erwin said after everyone followed out, leaving the two alone in the room. "Go check on Mikasa. I want you to be her primary caretaker, seeing as this situation would've been avoided had this been under your direction."

"What about Kirschstein?" Levi asked, fists trembling at his sides despite his cool exterior.

"He will no longer be working with us," Erwin explained as he straightened paperwork on his desk. Levi lifted one eyebrow. "He explained a certain series of situations concerning him and our resident Mikasa Ackerman. He says he cannot work in an environment when he is being pressured by one of the residents to engage in sexual intimacy."

"Wait...you mean he said Mikasa was the instigator?" Levi asked, his nails biting into his palms and drawing beads of blood.

"He suggested she was caving into self-destructive behaviors and would follow him begging sexual favors. When confronted Miss Ackerman did not deny his claims. So to better avoid a more legal issue his transfer to another location is effective tomorrow."

The memory of Mikasa pressing Jean against the wall, her lips pressed hard against his, body rubbing against his-p-It sunk a faint realization in Levi's chest that nearly broke a hole in his stomach.

"You said, a _series_ of situations..." Levi recalled.

"Yes... it would appear Miss Ackerman has been doing this for the past week and a half."

The hole widened and he wondered why he didn't just leave her struggling over a bra clasp instead of caving to a dark desire he had in his chest.

"I trust you'll keep an eye on her." Levi nodded at Erwin's request and left. He followed the hallways until he reached the heavy-set metal door. With a nod to the guard assigned, Levi waited as the guard had the door opened.

In its center she lay, arms and hands covered in clean white gauze and bandages. The bed was simple and the belts that pressed her down and strapped to her legs forced her to keep from moving. But even without moving, Levi found he could not escape Mikasa Ackerman's dazed black eyes.

The door closed behind him and he made his way beside her, sitting on one of the plastic chairs. Onyx eyes met Blue for one terrible moment. Mikasa looked away, inhaled and exhaled.

Levi tore his eyes away from her, peering at the red half-moons on his palms. Silence spread between them for hours until it came time to check her intake of sedatives and medicine.

"Why you?" Mikasa asked and Levi wondered if it had been his imagination. Her eyes found his again, a war - no, a _storm_ of emotion raging between them.

"Erwin trusts me." Levi replied.

"No..." She shakes her head, drowsy as he squeezed a syringe of valium into her blood stream. "Why you...?"

Levi tears his sight away and sighs. He scribbled a short report on the documents next to her bed and with a short farewell, Levi walked away, leaving her to drain into a drug induced sleep. When he goes home that evening, he found a book of origami under his bed and the discovery sparks a small idea that would not leave him for the next few days.

For the next week they continue in this fashion until Mikasa was deemed safe to be near the rest of the residents. He lead her to her room, having been disinfected and wiped clean from all blood and he catches himself reminiscing of the first time he walked her here.

She sat down and looked up at him when he pressed a tiny paper bird in her hand. "Happy Birthday," He whispered and she is crying when he closes the door behind him.

* * *

Things are different. Her hands and arms heal and she has no more hysteric breakdowns. But after nearly six months in the care center, Mikasa's hair is not longer bright and glistening but stringy and lacking its luster. Her skin is pale, nearly translucent under fluorescent lights.

The raps on the covers of the paperbacks Levi still leaves on her bed for her to enjoy become light and erratic. Mikasa no longer cries at night. Surely, her tears have been spent, but Levi still stands next to her door, listening - hoping.

But silence follows and he walks away and heads home to a dark and lonely apartment and when he lays his head on his pillow, Levi wonders what their life would be like if he had met her outside of that place... and she wasn't plagued with this disease. He wondered if her lips would taste as tangy as a red apple, if she laughed when he pressed his aching fingers over her sides and brush over sensitive spots. If she let out little moans as he pressed against her and sealed his skin over hers, or if she screamed when he made it clear to everyone that they belonged to each other through every bite and kiss and lick.

Another month passed by and Mikasa stopped reading. The books he would leave her would appear on his counter and he would find her standing next to Leela, just staring off out the window. Samuel no longer sat next to her during Lunch or dinner. Not many people gave her much attention after her hysteric break down and when she was in group she would refuse to speak, keeping to herself while her body would twitch and jerk.

But every night, Levi would stop by her door and listen before gently knocking three times then leaving without sound.

* * *

"We're moving her."

Erwin's words hit Levi like a bullet through his chest as he stared into his bright blue eyes. Levi blinked, as if he didn't realize Erwin had spoken yet. It took nearly all his strength to open his mouth and speak.

"When?"

"She'll be transferring to Stohess General in two weeks." Erwin explained, lips tightening as Levi stared back.

"That's three hours away." Levi said, numb.

"Doctor Hanji has been speaking with a Doctor Arlert in Stohess. He is offering her an opportunity to work in her lab and allow her to use their state of the art equipment in order to help Miss Ackerman. Grisha Jaeger himself is funding this decision and will be paying us a good donation for helping out thus far in his daughter's case."

A flame in his chest lit and died. Levi narrowed his eyes at Erwin, not entirely sure he was believing what he was saying.

"We're exchanging her for...money?" Levi asked and Erwin winced at his choice words but did nothing to deny them.

"The work being done with Miss Ackerman has brought more to light on the fight against Huntington's but we do not have the equipment to continue Hanji's research. This is for the greater good."

"But you don't know that for sure," Levi felt his lips curl in a snide and disgusted grin. "Do you...?"

Erwin said nothing before lifting a pen and writing something swift on a paper. "Here," He ripped the paper from it's binder.

"I'm giving you paid time off starting Monday," Erwin lifted the paper and met Levi's burning gaze. "Go home for these next couple of weeks and enjoy yourself. You've done good work here, Levi."

Levi scoffed loudly before shaking his head and walking out the office, ignoring Erwin's offer and letting the door slam on his way out.

When Levi walked to his desk he fought the urge to rip everything off his desk and slamming it on the floor. Opting instead for slamming his face over his palms, Levi let out a thin stream of pained, frustrated air. A moment later, he felt a pair of eyes burn into his cheek.

Levi turned and saw Mikasa. She was peeking from behind the threshold of her door, her expression stilled into one of disinterest. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment before she inclined her head, black strings of hair falling over her face before she disappeared behind the wall.

A fierce anger filled him to nearly the point of bursting and Levi waited until the dark spread over the entire clinic and silence could be broken by a pin falling. When it was time his shift ended, Levi stood and headed to her door and with a smooth grip of his keys he opened her door and walked in.

Mikasa had not been sleeping, instead she had been sitting on the edge of her bed. Her eyes were wide when they looked at him. The light from the reception desk hit her face and made those grey eyes suddenly spark with something new.

"Come with me." He spoke, and Mikasa was on her feet and gripping his hand with shaky fingers without another word.

Sneaking her out burned hot adrenaline through his blood as he shut the door and they sneaked through the dark hallways. Levi was able to distract the guard easily enough for her to glide behind and around them and when they were out the building their were running and she was laughing and Levi never realized how much he truly missed that sound.

The drive was quiet between them save the booming music she blared through his speakers and she was leaning out the window, the rush of wind pushing her hair hard behind her.

When they reached his apartment she was planting her lips - chapped and dry but sweet - against his and even though he could taste the medicine Levi swore he tasted tangy apples.

Before long, their clothes pooled and littered his usually spic-and-span floor, stumbling towards the bed in his room like two drunk lovers. Levi hissed when her lips found a sweet spot behind his ear and she was whispering his name, making a shiver of delight crawl up his spine and to pool rigidly at his hips.

"I never wanted Jean," Mikasa moaned as he pushed her on top of his covers. Levi searched through her eyes in the dark and it was as if all the life she had been missing was suddenly staring back at him full force. "Every time I kissed him I pictured you. I only wanted you. Why?"

"I don't know," He replied in earnest and she leaned up to press her lips against his, hands curling to grip at his hair and nape.

"I want you," Mikasa sighed when he rubbed circles against her hips just as he positioned himself.

"Mikasa," He let her name slip through his lips like honey. She cried out when Levi pushed in, hot and wet and needing. Her nails were gripping and sliding painfully-_deliciously-_over his back.

"Levi..." Mikasa moaned and she bucked beneath him and Levi pressed a tight kiss on her collarbone as he withdrew and rocked back against her. Their skin flushed with fire and passion as he pushed her into oblivion and her moans and his grunts became the only music between them. Faster and harder, Levi felt himself unite against her as their sweat and spit mixed between them.

Mikasa's body gave a violent spasm as she threw her head back, mouth open in a silent scream as he completed her and with a few toe-curling thrusts, finished himself. Minutes later she was still curled on his side and breathing heavily against his neck.

"You're leaving..." He whispered.

"I know..." She whispered back. He could feel her tears on his neck and he squeezed her against his body as she wept. Levi kissed her sweat soaked hair and ran a gentle hand over her back as she cried and he hated himself for not comforting her all those times like he's doing now. All those times ...lost.

"Come with me..." She sighed. Levi curled his arms around her naked body, tight, but said nothing.

Levi did not sleep. Only watched as her eyes drooped and then closed and she slept at his side.

He knew their time had gone up when he could see the faint rays of dawn break through his curtains and Levi wished hard with his entire being that he would stop the sun from rising so he could keep her against his body.

Sure enough, Levi knew that all things must come to an end and so he shook her awake with gentle prodding and kisses to her cheeks and lips.

Mikasa did not protest, she did not complain. Instead she stood and collected her clothes and headed to his bathroom when Levi insisted she needed to otherwise they would be able to smell him on her. Fifteen minutes later they were in his car and driving back to the clinic, but no blaring music followed and their laughter had died with the night.

Sneaking her back in was shockingly easy. Luck was on their side when they realized the security guard had fallen asleep and Levi could only curse this because he didn't want success here. He wanted to keep her. He wanted to maker her as much his as he had become hers.

The walk to her room went without any interruption until they reached her door, hands clenching tight between them.

"I don't want to go…" Mikasa admitted, her voice as numb and hollow as he felt. Levi fought the urge to punch something there but instead he slowly let go of her trembling hand.

"I know…" He murmured as he lifted that same hand and placed it against his cheek, pressing his nose to her wrist and leaving a soft kiss against the building thrum of her pulse.

Mikasa closed the space between them, pressing her forehead against Levi's even as he nuzzled her hand, feeling the scars of where she had once bit into in a fit of hysteria.

He let her go, painstakingly and with a heavy heart before pressing his key into the door of her room. Mikasa did not look at him as she entered her room and Levi had turned to his desk. He knew what needed to be done.

Sliding his drawer open he saw it. A beautiful scarlet and soft scarf, folded into a neat square next to his books and pens. He pulled it out, with the same tenderness he saved for her skin just hours before.

He headed back to her door, hearing her cry through the metal. Levi felt the material in his hands for a moment before lifting it up to his nose and inhaling deeply. It was cold against his face, but while it now harbored the faint smell of his hardcovers and paperbacks he caught it, the smell he cherished when he had kidnapped and pressed her against his bed.

He couldn't do it. _He just couldn't do it._

So instead he placed the scarf in his pocket, gently rapping her door twice, and ignoring her pained sobs (_like he had done so many times_) Levi walked away.

He did not look back.

* * *

_Fin_


	13. Original

Fic inspired by Incubus' - The Original. I wrote this _weeks_ ago! Good time to post it now. :D

**Original**  
_summary: Sometimes all people needs is a little push.  
Rated T for some language and fluff_

* * *

She moves like poetry. Every breath and word that falls from her lips is like music he has never heard before. Since he met her, there had always been something about her - something that rung bells in his mind and placed a film over his eyes that seemed to make everything explode with vibrancy and color. In a world drenched in blood and flashes of silver, the red around her throat was a sign to him.

But of course, he knew he never deserved it. He was just as filthy as the rest of them…

"Levi…"

Narrow blue eyes blink and Levi looked up to meet the curious stare of Hanji Zoe.

"You zoned out again…"

"…Ah." He murmured before looking back into his coffee cup, the black liquid untouched and already cool.

"…You should try to talk to her at least." Levi let out soft scoff, aggravated that Hanji could read him so easily.

"We've already talked enough…" He replied tersely and the smile that usually light up the bespectacled woman's eyes fell and she glanced away.

He stood up before sliding his full cup across the table to place it in front of the silent scientist.

"I'll see you later…" Levi grunted before turning and walking out the door.

He needed to think… to breathe.

Walking helped, it usually did after he was frustrated or internally overwhelmed with some kind of emotion he couldn't allow himself to indulge. Even after he hurt his leg saving her… the loss of his comrades, his family…

The pain of his leg helped, at least. Helped him remember he was human, that he did feel and that he didn't have to carry all those emotions locked behind his chest. Each step he took well into the night as he roamed the halls and the clearings outside the castle… it kept his mind busy.

But as the weeks passed and he got to know the newer recruits better, the loss and agony was slowly being replaced with thoughts of how to better help them. Help those damn brats survive just a little longer…

_"Corpor— Ah… Captain."_ _Levi glanced up, eyebrow lifting curiously when he saw Ackerman walk through the door of his study. He let his eyes meet hers for a moment before glancing back down at his paperwork, trying to ignore the weight that title placed on his shoulders. _

_"What is it?" He asked, flipping a paper and scribbling with a pen without much care. _

_"I…" she hesitated and he blinked up at her. Her onyx eyes seemed to be staring off into some kind of dark memory, some kind of difficult train of thought. He had no time to entertain such thoughts, he had enough to worry about. _

_"I'm busy, Ackerman." He said, tone final. _

_"I know that," She protested, fists clenching at her side. _

_"Well then spit it out," He was getting irritated now. It was what she needed apparently. Dark eyes looked up at him, with emotions Levi wasn't quite expecting. _

_"I just wanted to say that… I am grateful." She admitted. _

_"Grateful." He stated, unsure how to take her words. _

_"Yes…" She nodded. "For you." _

_Levi frowned, this was not a usual happenstance. He set his pen down and straightened in his chair, eyes staring into her with an interested scrutiny and mild surprise. _

_"You are grateful for me?" He repeated. She nodded, a hint of a blush playing on her cheeks and it confused him. "Why."_

_"You saved Eren's life… saved my life… probably more times than I could properly appreciate." Ah. She was thanking him for a job well done. _

_"I was doing my job, Mikasa. As are you. As is everyone." He shrugged. _

_"Nevertheless," She insisted and she took a few steps closer, rounding the desk and facing him directly. Levi pulled away from the desk but he did not stand, curious as to what she would do. "I am grateful…" Suddenly she was leaning forward until her head was fully bowed before him. Levi's eyes widened, shocked at this display. _

_"And I am sorry…" She said and a sudden drop of something fell from her obscured face to strike the floor. He vaguely realized she was crying. "I am sorry for being reckless and causing you pain… I was proud and foolhardy… and I am so sorry." _

_"My leg is healed, Ackerman. It was a shit injury, it didn't even matter." Levi retorted, unnerved by this sudden change in her attitude. She straightened before looking directly into his eyes, tears flowed from them freely and her nose was flushed. Something in his heart stopped then when she bit her lips. _

_"I'm not talking about your leg, Captain…" She whispered. "I am talking about how you lost your family for the sake of protecting mine. That is what I am grateful for." _

_It was as if someone had punched him in the chest and sucked the air out of his lungs. Levi could not speak and felt his surprise mount when she lifted a fist to press against her chest in a salute. _

_"Thank you… sir." _

That was the moment, Levi realized, that Mikasa Ackerman stopped being 'that brat' and he began to see her as more than just a soldier. He began to see her as a woman.

For the days that followed and the weeks and even the months, He would follow her moving figure with his eyes and take notice of her absence. Since then, their relationship had fully changed from that of a commanding officer tolerating a cheeky soldier, to one of respect and even mutual admiration. The more they fought against Titans the more he searched for her among the soldiers that fought. He was concerned for her, there was no doubt about it. He was concerned for Eren and even Armin. But she held a special place in his mind.

He didn't like to think of it as coddling her… and it took him nearly half a year to realize he truly cared for her. Wished her safety above his own. Training with her was different than with his other soldiers. Where other men and women had struggled under his commands she flourished.

One day, as he watched her spin and destroy titan dummy after titan dummy during their practice - the mechanical scrutiny and search for errors slowly faded to a soft admiration and even a growing fascination. As if he were watching something in motion that was truly beautiful.

So when she would approach him, huffing and breathing fast with her cheeks flushed, he could feel his breath die before it passed his lips. And she would question him and ask him if "she did okay", and he wanted nothing more than to say, _"You did more than okay. You are more than okay. You are magnificent…"_

Instead he would nod curtly at her and watch as she would give him a warm smile of gratitude before she would take off. Each time she did, she would take a piece of his heart with her and after eight months since that night she had thanked him, Levi knew he was in love with Mikasa Ackerman.

Levi made a turn down another hallway, nodding to passing soldiers and acknowledging their greetings. The talk with Hanji did nothing to quell the squeezing of his heart. It did nothing to help him focus on more important things… but what could be more important than her?

Fists clenching, Levi took a fierce step down another hallway. How could he have let this happen? How could he allow himself to fall under such an infantile spell? He was a soldier, not a school boy. And in war there was no space for something as irritating as emotional attachments…

Before he knew it, Levi was standing in front of a door, his hand lifted to give a firm knock.

With a sharp scowl he knocked and waited.

* * *

Green eyes blinked blearily, the sound of something pounding roused him and Eren Jaeger sat up on his bed trying to find the source of the sound. It took him a brief moment to realize someone was knocking on the door of his room and with a soft grunt he stood and wobbled his way to the door.

"I'm awake…" He called, voice hoarse with sleep and after a moment he could hear the clack of the lock opening.

The door slowly slid open and Eren sighed, already fearing the worst. "Hanji-san, please it's too early for— Eh? Captain?"

Levi stared at him with a flat look, not bothering to ask for more permission as he walked passed the boy and into the dungeon. "I'm not Hanji," He grunted and Eren watched him with wide eyes, sleep fading to the back of his bones.

"I can see that…uh…" Eren gawked, closing the door nervously. Levi kicked a chair out from under Eren's desk before throwing a leg over it and sitting down, resting his arms on the back.

"Sit, Eren," Levi ordered, as he flicked the boy's lamp on. Eren winced under the sudden light but dared not complain, he only hobbled his way back to his bed. "I need to ask you something."

"Uh…sure…" Eren said warily, nevertheless he was curious. What kind of question was so important that it had to be asked in the dark of the night? It made him nervous.

"This war… this battle we are fighting," Levi began after a short moment of silence. "You feel it is necessary?"

The question baffled him, but Eren already knew the answer. It was obvious. "Of course it is," He urged, leaning forward. "If we cannot defend humanity then who else will?"

"Even at the cost of other people's lives?" Levi countered and Eren scowled, feeling his confusion rise.

"…Yes." Eren answered, not sure where the captain was taking this. Levi nodded softly before glancing at the ground for a brief moment, Eren squirmed as the silence pressed awkwardly around them. Something else was happening, Eren felt. Something whirling behind the blue eyes of the older man sitting in front of him. Eren didn't know what…

"You are prepared to sacrifice everything for this war." It was no question.

"Yes."

"Your humanity?" Levi's eyes narrowed.

"…I…" Eren trailed off, surprised.

"Would you be willing to sacrifice your humanity?" Levi asked, there was a fierceness in his voice. A sharp jab hidden in the question. Eren remained silent, contemplating.

"…If it meant ridding the world of the Titans and gaining our freedom… then yes." Eren replied.

"So freedom is important to you…" Levi muttered, his hands clenched around the wood of the chair and Eren could only nod under his hard glare. Another tension filled silence choked the air in Eren's throat.

"Even more important to you than Love?"

Eren felt his mouth go dry at the words. What? Where was this coming from? Eren frowned, trying to figure out what exactly possessed the captain to ask such a question. But there was definitely something in there, something Eren hadn't considered before. He was only 18, that was true. But Eren had never really considered love a factor, a motivator in his quest to destroy the titans. If anything, Hatred had been his fuel, his drive. Although that had changed somewhat since he joined the Corp, even more so the more comrades died and their blood stained the dreams in his mind.

For a moment, Eren considered the value of love. His mind went to the memory of his mother's smiling face, of Armin and his loyalty, Mikasa and her devotion. But soon the faces he considered his family began to expand. Of Levi's squad now dead, but of Sasha, Connie, Jean. Even Hanji, Commander Erwin and Captain Levi. Those faces, all of them meant so much to him. When he had been in a rage and fought against Annie's Titan form, he had been thrown in a fit of pain and betrayal, anger and mind-boggling destruction. He wanted to kill and to destroy and to end the pain of so many people, and his anger and violence nearly destroyed him. The memory of Armin, pressed against his mind with an urging smile flashed into his mind - _"Eren… why do you want to see the world?"_

It had been a simple response, a simple desire that urged him forward that day. But now… Eren had grown. He no longer wanted to see the world alone… no. He wanted to share it. With all of them.

Eren finally looked up, meeting Captain Levi's intense gaze with one of clear resolution.

"Love_ is_ Freedom, Captain." Eren answered. Levi's eyes widened, lips parting and a short huff of air escaped his lips. Eren blinked, not sure if he was seeing what he was seeing but after a moment of gazing, Eren knew it. Was…the Captain stumped? That was not a sight one usually experienced often. Speechless, Eren waited for the Captain to speak, move, _breathe_ even.

Finally after what felt like an eternity, Levi dropped his gaze a thin smirk pulling at his lips. Eren could only watch, wondering.

"Huh," Levi hummed, "Not bad, Jaeger."

Eren swallowed thickly before nodding, if uncertain. "Uh… would that be all…? Sir…?"

Levi let out a soft snort before rising, throwing the chair back under the desk. The sharp clatter made Eren jump in his seat and he could only watch blankly as Levi moved toward him and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Go to sleep, Eren. We have drills at dawn."

Eren gawked as the Captain walked out and upon hearing the door lock, Eren allowed himself a moment to groan.

"…What was that about…?"

* * *

Of course, Eren would find out why that happened. Because the next day, during drills and practice, Captain Levi had walked up to them and pulled Mikasa aside. The group around them watched, curious as he called her forward and Mikasa obliged, as confused as everyone else. They walked to the side and while everyone else resumed their training Eren watched, unsure what was happening.

As they spoke, Eren realized then that something must've happened between them because Mikasa was suddenly shaking her head, cheeks flushed and lifting her scarf to cover her mouth. Levi reached a hand out and grabbed her wrist, pulling the scarf down from her face. Mikasa bowed her head, a gesture Eren only saw when she was embarrassed. He frowned when he saw how she slowly looked back up at Levi, he was still holding on to her wrist.

"Hey, Eren." Eren lifted a hand, silencing the approaching Armin with a quick hiss.

"What's going on?" Armin asked, stopping at his side before quieting down. It didn't take a genius to figure out Armin was watching the scene just a few yards away unfold. Levi was still holding on to Mikasa's wrist, speaking softly while she stared wide-eyed into his eyes.

"What do you think is happening?" Armin asked, voice hushed as they watched, entranced.

"I…have no clue…" Eren replied and they fell back into a soft silence. For a short moment, Levi appeared to have asked her something, they waited. Their bodies had frozen and at this distance it was hard to tell but Eren had a feeling it had something to do with what the Captain had asked him last night.

It must've not gone well because suddenly Levi had dropped Mikasa's wrist and turned to leave.

"Eren…?" Armin asked again, thoroughly confused but his question died on his throat. Because Mikasa had shot out a hand and grabbed the Captain's shoulder before spinning him around.

"What is she—?" Eren wondered out loud before both boys let out surprised cries. In just moments, Mikasa grabbed the Captain by his cravat and yanked him forward. Even at this distance they knew without a doubt that she was firmly pressing her mouth against their Commanding Officer's.

"Eh?!" The two boys choked out. Eren felt his cheeks flush, his mind gone blank when he saw Levi's hand reach up to grasp at her neck and pull her against him.

"Hey guys, what's happenin—Guh…" Jean greeted before stopping just behind them, no doubt seeing the same spectacle that had choked the air in the other two boy's throats.

Mikasa finally pulled away and Levi said something before she threw her arms around his neck.

"What's going on? Guys?" Jean asked, frantic. "Seriously, why is Mikasa and the Captain making out? Guys?"

Eren could not fathom why or when it had happened but after a moment he was able to tear his gaze away from the two, apparent, lovers to look into Armin's shocked gaze.

"Did you know something about this?" Eren squeaked and Armin shook his head, mouth still hanging with surprise.

"Oh-ho!" Eren glanced up to see the grinning face of Hanji, she looked positively excited. "Looks like he made his move! It's about damn time!"

"Hanji-san?" Eren gulped.

"Close your mouth, Eren." Hanji chuckled. "Time to start picking flowers."

"Flowers… why would we…?"

"For the wedding, of course!"

"…The…_What?!"_

* * *

_Fin_


End file.
